Tissue interfaces dosimetry in small field radiotherapy with alanine/EPR mini dosimeters and Monte Carlo-Penelope simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vega R, J. L.; Nicolucci, P.; Baffa, O.; Chen, F.; Apaza V, D. G.

2014-08-01

The dosimetry system based on alanine mini dosimeters plus K-Band EPR spectrometer was tested in the tissue-interface dosimetry through the percentage depth-dose (Pdd) determination for 3 x 3 cm 2 and 1 x 1 cm 2 radiation fields sizes. The alanine mini dosimeters were produced by mechanical pressure from a mixture of 95% L-alanine and 5% polyvinyl alcohol (Pva) acting as binder. Nominal dimensions of these mini dosimeters were 1 mm diameter and 3 mm length as well as 3 - 4 mg mass. The EPR spectra of the mini dosimeters were registered using a K-Band (24 GHz) EPR spectrometer. The mini dosimeters were placed in a nonhomogeneous phantom and irradiated with 20 Gy in a 6 MV PRIMUS Siemens linear accelerator, with a source-to-surface distance of 100 cm using the small fields previously mentioned. The cylindrical non-homogeneous phantom was comprised of several disk-shaped plates of different materials in the sequence acrylic-bone cork-bone-acrylic, with dimensions 15 cm diameter and 1 cm thick. The plates were placed in descending order, starting from top with four acrylic plates followed by two bone plates plus eight cork plates plus two bone plates and finally, four acrylic plates (4-2-8-2-4). Pdd curves from the treatment planning system and from Monte Carlo simulation with Penelope code were determined. Mini dosimeters Pdd results show good agreement with Penelope, better than 95% for the cork homogeneous region and 97.7% in the bone heterogeneous region. In the first interface region, between acrylic and bone, it can see a dose increment of 0.6% for mini dosimeters compared to Penelope. At the second interface, between bone and cork, there is 9.1% of dose increment for mini dosimeter relative to Penelope. For the third (cork-bone) and fourth (bone-acrylic) interfaces, the dose increment for mini dosimeters compared to Penelope was 4.1% both. (Author)

Biodegradable compounds: Rheological, mechanical and thermal properties

Science.gov (United States)

Nobile, Maria Rossella; Lucia, G.; Santella, M.; Malinconico, M.; Cerruti, P.; Pantani, R.

2015-12-01

Recently great attention from industry has been focused on biodegradable polyesters derived from renewable resources. In particular, PLA has attracted great interest due to its high strength and high modulus and a good biocompatibility, however its brittleness and low heat distortion temperature (HDT) restrict its wide application. On the other hand, Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) is a biodegradable polymer with a low tensile modulus but characterized by a high flexibility, excellent impact strength, good thermal and chemical resistance. In this work the two aliphatic biodegradable polyesters PBS and PLA were selected with the aim to obtain a biodegradable material for the industry of plastic cups and plates. PBS was also blended with a thermoplastic starch. Talc was also added to the compounds because of its low cost and its effectiveness in increasing the modulus and the HDT of polymers. The compounds were obtained by melt compounding in a single screw extruder and the rheological, mechanical and thermal properties were investigated. The properties of the two compounds were compared and it was found that the values of the tensile modulus and elongation at break measured for the PBS/PLA/Talc compound make it interesting for the production of disposable plates and cups. In terms of thermal resistance the compounds have HDTs high enough to contain hot food or beverages. The PLA/PBS/Talc compound can be, then, considered as biodegradable substitute for polystyrene for the production of disposable plates and cups for hot food and beverages.

Design of the MiniSLAR system for Bruce A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, M.G.

1995-01-01

Cancellation of Bruce A Retube created the need to perform SLAR on Unit 1. The existing SLAR system cannot reach Unit 1 and alternative systems had limitations. The concept and design of MiniSLAR were driven by the availability of existing components made for Retube. The MiniSLAR concept was developed by a team with members representing operators, technicians, and designers from various departments within Ontario Hydro and GE Canada. Overall project leadership was provided by Bruce A Projects and Modifications Department with assistance from Ontario Hydro Nuclear Technology Services. The responsibility for detailed design was assigned by Ontario Hydro to GE Canada. The detailed design proceeded with continual input and review by the team. The MiniSLAR delivery machine consists of a closure removal ram, a shield plug removal ram and a SLAR tool delivery ram attached to the sliding plate of a horizontal indexing mechanism. The moving plate is constrained by guide rails to a fixed plate and seals against it with o-rings. A snout and clamping mechanism mounts on the front of the fixed plate. The machine mounts atop a work table which provides the various motions required for endfitting engagement. Some operations are performed manually while others are remote and automatic. (author)

Neutronics analysis on mini test fuel in the RSG-GAS core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tukiran S; Tagor M Sembiring

2016-01-01

Research on UMo fuel for research reactor has been developed. The fuel of research reactor is uranium molybdenum low enrichment with high density. For supporting the development of fuel fabrication, an neutronic analysis of mini fuel plates in the RSG-GAS core was performed. The aim of analysis is to determine the numbers of fuel cycles in the core to know the maximum fuel burn-up. The mini fuel plates of U_7Mo-Al and U_6Zr-Al with densities of 7.0 gU/cc and 5.2 gU/cc, respectively, will be irradiated in the RSG-GAS core. The size of both fuels, namely 630 x 70.75 x 1.30 mm were inserted to the 3 plates of dummy fuel. Before the fuel will be irradiated in the core, a calculation for safety analysis from neutronics and thermal-hydraulics aspects were required. However, in this paper, it will be discussed safety analysis of the U_7Mo-Al and U_6Zr-Al mini fuels from neutronic point of view. The calculation was done using WIMSD-5B and Batan-3DIFF codes. The result showed that both of the mini fuels could be irradiated in the RSG-GAS core with burn up less than 70 % within 12 cycles of operation without over limiting the safety margin. If it is compared, the power density of U_7Mo-Al mini fuel is bigger than U_6Zr-Al fuel. (author)

Mini-Fragment Fixation Is Equivalent to Bicortical Screw Fixation for Horizontal Medial Malleolus Fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wegner, Adam M; Wolinsky, Philip R; Robbins, Michael A; Garcia, Tanya C; Amanatullah, Derek F

2018-05-01

Horizontal fractures of the medial malleolus occur through application of valgus or abduction force through the ankle that creates a tension failure of the medial malleolus. The authors hypothesize that mini-fragment T-plates may offer improved fixation, but the optimal fixation construct for these fractures remains unclear. Forty synthetic distal tibiae with identical osteotomies were randomized into 4 fixation constructs: (1) two parallel unicortical cancellous screws; (2) two parallel bicortical cortical screws; (3) a contoured mini-fragment T-plate with 2 unicortical screws in the fragment and 2 bicortical screws in the shaft; and (4) a contoured mini-fragment T-plate with 2 bicortical screws in the fragment and 2 unicortical screws in the shaft. Specimens were subjected to offset axial tension loading on a servohydraulic testing system and tracked using high-resolution video. Failure was defined as 2 mm of articular displacement. Analysis of variance followed by a Tukey-Kramer post hoc test was used to assess for differences between groups, with significance defined as Pfragment T-plate constructs (239±83 N/mm and 190±37 N/mm) and the bicortical screw construct (240±17 N/mm) were not statistically different. The mean stiffness values of both mini-fragment T-plate constructs and the bicortical screw construct were higher than that of a parallel unicortical screw construct (102±20 N/mm). Contoured T-plate constructs provide stiffer initial fixation than a unicortical cancellous screw construct. The T-plate is biomechanically equivalent to a bicortical screw construct, but may be superior in capturing small fragments of bone. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(3):e395-e399.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVE AND BIODEGRADABLES CONTAINERS FOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Poggio

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the development of biodegradable containers for crops that could be transplanted directly and act as fertilizers is proposed. Bovine gelatin was chosen as the base material, which was processed in a mini-injector mixer with a concentrated urea solution acted as a plasticizer. Rheological and tensile tests were performed in order to evaluate the injection of gelatin based formulations and mechanical properties related to the proposed application. Taking into account that biodegradable materials have a low water resistance, the increment of container stability was proposed using a surface coating. In addition, the influence of moisture content, the soluble matter and swelling were studied and analyzed. It was observed that coated samples were significantly more stable than the control ones, which guarantees the feasibility of the selected system and its potential development of biodegradable containers.

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of mini-fin structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Peixue; Xu Ruina

2007-01-01

Forced convection heat transfer of air and water in bronze and pure copper mini-fin structures and mini-channel structures was investigated experimentally. The mini-fin dimensions were 0.7 mm x 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm x 0.4 mm. The tests included both staggered diamond-shaped and in-line square mini-fin arrangements. The tests investigated the effects of structures, mini-fin dimensions and arrangement, test section materials, and fluid properties on the convection heat transfer and heat transfer enhancement. For the tested conditions, the convection heat transfer coefficient was increased 9-21 fold for water and 12-38 fold for air in the mini-fin structures compared with an empty plate channel. The friction factor and flow resistance in the mini-channel structures and the in-line square mini-fin arrangement were much less than in the staggered diamond-shaped mini-fin arrangement. For the small channel width, W c = 0.2 mm, the convection heat transfer with the in-line square array structure was more intense than with the staggered diamond-shaped structure, the mini-channel structure or the porous media. For the larger channel width, W c = 0.4 mm, the convection heat transfer in the staggered diamond-shaped array structure was more intense than in the others systems while the in-line square structure had the best overall thermal-hydraulic performance

Early Experience with Biodegradable Fixation of Pediatric Mandibular Fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazeed, Ahmed Salah; Shoeib, Mohammed Abdel-Raheem; Saied, Samia Mohammed Ahmed; Elsherbiny, Ahmed

2015-09-01

This clinical study aims to evaluate the stability and efficiency of biodegradable self-reinforced poly-l/dl-lactide (SR-PLDLA) plates and screws for fixation of pediatric mandibular fractures. The study included 12 patients (3-12 years old) with 14 mandibular fractures. They were treated by open reduction and internal fixation by SR-PLDLA plates and screws. Maxillomandibular fixation was maintained for 1 week postoperatively. Clinical follow-up was performed at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months postoperatively. Radiographs were done at 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months postoperatively to observe any displacement and fracture healing. All fractures healed both clinically and radiologically. No serious complications were reported in the patients. Normal occlusion was achieved in all cases. Biodegradable osteofixation of mandibular fractures offers a valuable clinical solution for pediatric patients getting the benefit of avoiding secondary surgery to remove plates, decreasing the hospital stay, further painful procedures, and psychological impact.

Hybrid coating on a magnesium alloy for minimizing the localized degradation for load-bearing biodegradable mini-implant applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kannan, M. Bobby, E-mail: bobby.mathan@jcu.edu.au; Liyanaarachchi, S.

2013-10-01

The effect of a hybrid coating, calcium phosphate (CaP) + polylactic acid (PLA), on a magnesium alloy on its in vitro degradation (general and localized) behaviour was studied for potential load-bearing biodegradable mini-implant applications. CaP was coated on a magnesium alloy, AZ91, using an electrochemical deposition method. A spin coating method was used to coat PLA on the CaP coated alloy. In vitro degradation performance of the alloy with hybrid coating was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in simulated body fluid (SBF). The EIS results showed that the hybrid coating enhanced the degradation resistance of the alloy by more than two-order of magnitude as compared to the bare alloy and one-order of magnitude higher than that of the CaP coated alloy, after 1 h exposure in simulated body fluid (SBF). Long-term (48 h) EIS results also confirmed that the hybrid coating performed better than the bare alloy and the CaP coated alloy. Importantly, the hybrid coating improved the localized degradation resistance of the alloy significantly, which is critical for better in service mechanical integrity. - Highlights: • A hybrid coating (CaP + PLA) was applied on a magnesium-based alloy. • The hybrid coating enhanced the in vitro degradation resistance of the alloy. • Localized degradation resistance was also improved by the hybrid coating.

Hybrid coating on a magnesium alloy for minimizing the localized degradation for load-bearing biodegradable mini-implant applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kannan, M. Bobby; Liyanaarachchi, S.

2013-01-01

The effect of a hybrid coating, calcium phosphate (CaP) + polylactic acid (PLA), on a magnesium alloy on its in vitro degradation (general and localized) behaviour was studied for potential load-bearing biodegradable mini-implant applications. CaP was coated on a magnesium alloy, AZ91, using an electrochemical deposition method. A spin coating method was used to coat PLA on the CaP coated alloy. In vitro degradation performance of the alloy with hybrid coating was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in simulated body fluid (SBF). The EIS results showed that the hybrid coating enhanced the degradation resistance of the alloy by more than two-order of magnitude as compared to the bare alloy and one-order of magnitude higher than that of the CaP coated alloy, after 1 h exposure in simulated body fluid (SBF). Long-term (48 h) EIS results also confirmed that the hybrid coating performed better than the bare alloy and the CaP coated alloy. Importantly, the hybrid coating improved the localized degradation resistance of the alloy significantly, which is critical for better in service mechanical integrity. - Highlights: • A hybrid coating (CaP + PLA) was applied on a magnesium-based alloy. • The hybrid coating enhanced the in vitro degradation resistance of the alloy. • Localized degradation resistance was also improved by the hybrid coating

Comparison of circummandibular wiring with resorbable bone plates in pediatric mandibular fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Saikrishna, D; Gupta, Nimish

2010-06-01

Pediatric patients present a unique challenge to maxillofacial surgeons in terms of their treatment planning as well as in their functional and nutritional needs which are different from that of adult patients. Early literature has advocated conservative closed management of pediatric fractures to prevent complications. However recent advances in maxillofacial surgery has enabled us to use biodegradable plates and screws, which overcomes the limitations of metallic plates. We present a comparison of two cases of parasymphysis fracture treated with circum-mandibular wiring and biodegradable plate fixation their outcome in terms of fracture healing and functional stability.

Poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) hydrolases and PAA biodegradation: current knowledge and impact on applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraishi, Tomohiro

2016-02-01

Thermally synthesized poly(aspartic acid) (tPAA) is a bio-based, biocompatible, biodegradable, and water-soluble polymer that has a high proportion of β-Asp units and equivalent moles of D- and L-Asp units. Poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) hydrolase-1 and hydrolase-2 are tPAA biodegradation enzymes purified from Gram-negative bacteria. PAA hydrolase-1 selectively cleaves amide bonds between β-Asp units via an endo-type process, whereas PAA hydrolase-2 catalyzes the exo-type hydrolysis of the products of tPAA hydrolysis by PAA hydrolase-1. The novel reactivity of PAA hydrolase-1 makes it a good candidate for a biocatalyst in β-peptide synthesis. This mini-review gives an overview of PAA hydrolases with emphasis on their biochemical and functional properties, in particular, PAA hydrolase-1. Functionally related enzymes, such as poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerases and β-aminopeptidases, are compared to PAA hydrolases. This mini-review also provides findings that offer an insight into the catalytic mechanisms of PAA hydrolase-1 from Pedobacter sp. KP-2.

A customized fixation plate with novel structure designed by topological optimization for mandibular angle fracture based on finite element analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yun-Feng; Fan, Ying-Ying; Jiang, Xian-Feng; Baur, Dale A

2017-11-15

The purpose of this study was to design a customized fixation plate for mandibular angle fracture using topological optimization based on the biomechanical properties of the two conventional fixation systems, and compare the results of stress, strain and displacement distributions calculated by finite element analysis (FEA). A three-dimensional (3D) virtual mandible was reconstructed from CT images with a mimic angle fracture and a 1 mm gap between two bone segments, and then a FEA model, including volume mesh with inhomogeneous bone material properties, three loading conditions and constraints (muscles and condyles), was created to design a customized plate using topological optimization method, then the shape of the plate was referenced from the stress concentrated area on an initial part created from thickened bone surface for optimal calculation, and then the plate was formulated as "V" pattern according to dimensions of standard mini-plate finally. To compare the biomechanical behavior of the "V" plate and other conventional mini-plates for angle fracture fixation, two conventional fixation systems were used: type A, one standard mini-plate, and type B, two standard mini-plates, and the stress, strain and displacement distributions within the three fixation systems were compared and discussed. The stress, strain and displacement distributions to the angle fractured mandible with three different fixation modalities were collected, respectively, and the maximum stress for each model emerged at the mandibular ramus or screw holes. Under the same loading conditions, the maximum stress on the customized fixation system decreased 74.3, 75.6 and 70.6% compared to type A, and 34.9, 34.1, and 39.6% compared to type B. All maximum von Mises stresses of mandible were well below the allowable stress of human bone, as well as maximum principal strain. And the displacement diagram of bony segments indicated the effect of treatment with different fixation systems. The

[Effectiveness of arthroscopic treatment of anterior cruciate ligament tibial eminence avulsion fracture with non-absorbable suture fixation combined with mini-plate].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Suiyuan; Xiao, Yang; Tong, Zuoming; Li, Guiqiu; Jiang, Juhua; Yao, Jinghui; Wu, Zhiyong; Li, Tengfei; Wu, Qun

2013-09-01

To evaluate the surgical techniques and effectiveness of arthroscopic treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial eminence avulsion fracture with non-absorbable suture fixation combined with the miniplate. Between January 2009 and March 2012, 32 patients with ACL tibial eminence avulsion fractures were treated. There were 18 males and 14 females, aged 12-40 years (mean, 17.5 years). The injury causes included traffic accident injury in 15 cases, sport injury in 6 cases, and falling injury in 11 cases. The time from injury to operation ranged 7-18 days with an average of 9.5 days. Before operation, the results of Lachman test were all positive; the Lysholm score was 52.13 +/- 4.22 and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was 44.82 +/- 2.44. According to Meyers-McKeever classification criteria, there were 12 cases of type II and 20 cases of type III. After arthroscopic poking reduction of fracture, tibial eminence avulsion fractures were fixed with the Ethibond non-absorbable sutures bypass figure-of-eight tibial tunnel combined with the metacarpal and phalangeal mini-plate. Primary healing was obtained in all incisions; no joint infection or skin necrosis occurred after operation. All patients were followed up with an average time of 22.4 months (range, 12-50 months). The patients showed negative Lachman test at 12 weeks after operation. Except 3 patients having knee extension limitation at last follow-up, the knee extension range of motion (ROM) was normal in the other patients; the knee flexion ROM was normal in all patients. The Lysholm score and IKDC score were significantly improved to 94.19 +/- 0.93 and 94.35 +/- 1.22 at last follow-up, showing significant differences when compared with preoperative values (t = 55.080, P = 0.000; t = 101.715, P = 0.000). The arthroscopic treatment of ACL tibial eminence avulsion fracture with Ethibond non-absorbable suture fixation combined with mini-plate is an effective procedure with the

Selective Photocatalytic Disinfection by Coupling StrepMiniSog to the Antibody Catalyzed Water Oxidation Pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Wurtzler, Elizabeth M; Wendell, David

2016-01-01

For several decades reactive oxygen species have been applied to water quality engineering and efficient disinfection strategies; however, these methods are limited by disinfection byproduct and catalyst-derived toxicity concerns which could be improved by selectively targeting contaminants of interest. Here we present a targeted photocatalytic system based on the fusion protein StrepMiniSOG that uses light within the visible spectrum to produce reactive oxygen species at a greater efficiency than current photosensitizers, allowing for shorter irradiation times from a fully biodegradable photocatalyst. The StrepMiniSOG photodisinfection system is unable to cross cell membranes and like other consumed proteins, can be degraded by endogenous digestive enzymes in the human gut, thereby reducing the consumption risks typically associated with other disinfection agents. We demonstrate specific, multi-log removal of Listeria monocytogenes from a mixed population of bacteria, establishing the StrepMiniSOG disinfection system as a valuable tool for targeted pathogen removal, while maintaining existing microbial biodiversity.

Selective Photocatalytic Disinfection by Coupling StrepMiniSog to the Antibody Catalyzed Water Oxidation Pathway.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth M Wurtzler

Full Text Available For several decades reactive oxygen species have been applied to water quality engineering and efficient disinfection strategies; however, these methods are limited by disinfection byproduct and catalyst-derived toxicity concerns which could be improved by selectively targeting contaminants of interest. Here we present a targeted photocatalytic system based on the fusion protein StrepMiniSOG that uses light within the visible spectrum to produce reactive oxygen species at a greater efficiency than current photosensitizers, allowing for shorter irradiation times from a fully biodegradable photocatalyst. The StrepMiniSOG photodisinfection system is unable to cross cell membranes and like other consumed proteins, can be degraded by endogenous digestive enzymes in the human gut, thereby reducing the consumption risks typically associated with other disinfection agents. We demonstrate specific, multi-log removal of Listeria monocytogenes from a mixed population of bacteria, establishing the StrepMiniSOG disinfection system as a valuable tool for targeted pathogen removal, while maintaining existing microbial biodiversity.

Mechanical strength and stiffness of biodegradable and titanium osteofixation systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buijs, Gerrit J.; van der Houwen, Eduard B.; Bos, Rudulf R. M.; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J.

Purpose: To present relevant mechanical data to simplify the selection of an osteofixation system for situations requiring immobilization in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Materials and Methods: Seven biodegradable and 2 titanium osteofixation systems were investigated. The plates and screws were

Early Experience with Biodegradable Fixation of Pediatric Mandibular Fractures

OpenAIRE

Mazeed, Ahmed Salah; Shoeib, Mohammed Abdel-Raheem; Saied, Samia Mohammed Ahmed; Elsherbiny, Ahmed

2014-01-01

This clinical study aims to evaluate the stability and efficiency of biodegradable self-reinforced poly-l/dl-lactide (SR-PLDLA) plates and screws for fixation of pediatric mandibular fractures. The study included 12 patients (3–12 years old) with 14 mandibular fractures. They were treated by open reduction and internal fixation by SR-PLDLA plates and screws. Maxillomandibular fixation was maintained for 1 week postoperatively. Clinical follow-up was performed at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and...

A mini-microscope for in situ monitoring of cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sang Bok; Koo, Kyo-in; Bae, Hojae; Dokmeci, Mehmet R; Hamilton, Geraldine A; Bahinski, Anthony; Kim, Sun Min; Ingber, Donald E; Khademhosseini, Ali

2012-10-21

A mini-microscope was developed for in situ monitoring of cells by modifying off-the-shelf components of a commercial webcam. The mini-microscope consists of a CMOS imaging module, a small plastic lens and a white LED illumination source. The CMOS imaging module was connected to a laptop computer through a USB port for image acquisition and analysis. Due to its compact size, 8 × 10 × 9 cm, the present microscope is portable and can easily fit inside a conventional incubator, and enables real-time monitoring of cellular behaviour. Moreover, the mini-microscope can be used for imaging cells in conventional cell culture flasks, such as Petri dishes and multi-well plates. To demonstrate the operation of the mini-microscope, we monitored the cellular migration of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts in a scratch assay in medium containing three different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (5, 10, and 20%) and demonstrated differential responses depending on serum levels. In addition, we seeded embryonic stem cells inside poly(ethylene glycol) microwells and monitored the formation of stem cell aggregates in real time using the mini-microscope. Furthermore, we also combined a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device for microdroplet generation and analysis with the mini-microscope and observed the formation of droplets under different flow conditions. Given its cost effectiveness, robust imaging and portability, the presented platform may be useful for a range of applications for real-time cellular imaging using lab-on-a-chip devices at low cost.

DESARROLLO DE RECIPIENTES ACTIVOS Y BIODEGRADABLES PARA CULTIVOS AGRÍCOLAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Poggio

2016-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo, s e prop one el desarrollo de recipient es biodegradables para cultivos que puedan ser trasplantados directamente y actuar como fertilizantes. Se eligió gelatina bovina c omo material base, que se procesó en una mini mezcladora - inyectora junto con una solución concentrada de urea que actuó como plastificante . Se realizaron estudios reológicos y de tracción p ara evalua r la inyección de las mezclas y las prestaciones mecánicas relacionadas con la aplicación propuesta . Considerando que esto s materiales biodegradables tienen baja resistencia al agua, s e prop uso incrementar la estabilidad de los recipientes mediante r ecubrimiento superficial . Asimismo, se estudió y analizó su influencia en el contenido de humedad, materia soluble e hinchamiento en agua destilada. Se observó que las muestras recubiertas fueron significativamente más estables en agua que la s muestras con trol, lo que evidencia la buena calidad y homogeneidad del recubrimie nto , que avala la factibilidad del sistema seleccionado y su potencial desarrollo de contenedores biodegradables.

A cost-effective fluorescence mini-microscope for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu Shrike; Ribas, João; Nadhman, Akhtar; Aleman, Julio; Selimović, Šeila; Lesher-Perez, Sasha Cai; Wang, Ting; Manoharan, Vijayan; Shin, Su-Ryon; Damilano, Alessia; Annabi, Nasim; Dokmeci, Mehmet Remzi; Takayama, Shuichi; Khademhosseini, Ali

2015-01-01

We have designed and fabricated a miniature microscope from off-the-shelf components and a webcam, with built-in fluorescence capability for biomedical applications. The mini-microscope was able to detect both biochemical parameters, such as cell/tissue viability (e.g. live/dead assay), and biophysical properties of the microenvironment such as oxygen levels in microfabricated tissues based on an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent dye. This mini-microscope has adjustable magnifications from 8-60×, achieves a resolution as high as microscope was able to chronologically monitor cell migration and analyze beating of microfluidic liver and cardiac bioreactors in real time, respectively. The mini-microscope system is cheap, and its modularity allows convenient integration with a wide variety of pre-existing platforms including, but not limited to, cell culture plates, microfluidic devices, and organs-on-a-chip systems. Therefore, we envision its widespread application in cell biology, tissue engineering, biosensing, microfluidics, and organs-on-chips, which can potentially replace conventional bench-top microscopy where long-term in situ and large-scale imaging/analysis is required.

A mini-microscope for in situ monitoring of cells†‡

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sang Bok; Koo, Kyo-in; Bae, Hojae; Dokmeci, Mehmet R.; Hamilton, Geraldine A.; Bahinski, Anthony; Kim, Sun Min; Ingber, Donald E.

2013-01-01

A mini-microscope was developed for in situ monitoring of cells by modifying off-the-shelf components of a commercial webcam. The mini-microscope consists of a CMOS imaging module, a small plastic lens and a white LED illumination source. The CMOS imaging module was connected to a laptop computer through a USB port for image acquisition and analysis. Due to its compact size, 8 × 10 × 9 cm, the present microscope is portable and can easily fit inside a conventional incubator, and enables real-time monitoring of cellular behaviour. Moreover, the mini-microscope can be used for imaging cells in conventional cell culture flasks, such as Petri dishes and multi-well plates. To demonstrate the operation of the mini-microscope, we monitored the cellular migration of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts in a scratch assay in medium containing three different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (5, 10, and 20%) and demonstrated differential responses depending on serum levels. In addition, we seeded embryonic stem cells inside poly(ethylene glycol) microwells and monitored the formation of stem cell aggregates in real time using the mini-microscope. Furthermore, we also combined a lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device for microdroplet generation and analysis with the mini-microscope and observed the formation of droplets under different flow conditions. Given its cost effectiveness, robust imaging and portability, the presented platform may be useful for a range of applications for real-time cellular imaging using lab-on-a-chip devices at low cost. PMID:22911426

Biodegradation of polyurethane derived from castor oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José M. Cangemi

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to study the biodegradation of a polymer derived from castor oil, which is a renewable, natural material that is a practical alternative for the replacement of traditional polyurethane foams. Due to its molecular structure, which contains polyester segments derived from vegetable oil, the polymeric surface is susceptible to microorganism attack. This study tested the biological degrading agent that was in contact with the microorganisms resulting from microbiological grease degrading agents, when foam was inoculated. Solid-media agar-plate tests were conducted for their potential to evaluate the biodegradation of polymeric particles by specific strains of microorganisms during 216 hours. The growth rate was defined. This technique provides a way of distinguishing the degradation abilities of microorganisms from the degradability of materials.

Biodegradable drug-eluting nanofiber-enveloped implants for sustained release of high bactericidal concentrations of vancomycin and ceftazidime: in vitro and in vivo studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsu YH

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Yung-Heng Hsu,1,2 Dave Wei-Chih Chen,1 Chun-Der Tai,3 Ying-Chao Chou,1,2 Shih-Jung Liu,2 Steve Wen-Neng Ueng,1 Err-Cheng Chan4 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Guishan Township, 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Guishan Township, 3Graduate Institute of Medical Mechatronics, Chang Gung University, Guishan Township, 4School of Medical Technology, Chang Gung University, Guishan Township, Taiwan Abstract: We developed biodegradable drug-eluting nanofiber-enveloped implants that provided sustained release of vancomycin and ceftazidime. To prepare the biodegradable nanofibrous membranes, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide and the antibiotics were first dissolved in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol. They were electrospun into biodegradable drug-eluting membranes, which were then enveloped on the surface of stainless plates. An elution method and a high-performance liquid chromatography assay were employed to characterize the in vivo and in vitro release rates of the antibiotics from the nanofiber-enveloped plates. The results showed that the biodegradable nanofiber-enveloped plates released high concentrations of vancomycin and ceftazidime (well above the minimum inhibitory concentration for more than 3 and 8 weeks in vitro and in vivo, respectively. A bacterial inhibition test was carried out to determine the relative activity of the released antibiotics. The bioactivity ranged from 25% to 100%. In addition, the serum creatinine level remained within the normal range, suggesting that the high vancomycin concentration did not affect renal function. By adopting the electrospinning technique, we will be able to manufacture biodegradable drug-eluting implants for the long-term drug delivery of different antibiotics. Keywords: biodegradable nanofiber-enveloped plates, electrospinning, antibiotics, release characteristics

Distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials in Alaskan continental shelf areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roubal, G.; Atlas, R.M.

1978-01-01

Hydrocarbon-utilizing microogranisms were enumerated from Alaskan continental shelf areas by using plate counts and a new most-probable-number procedure based on mineralization of 14 C-labeled hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbon utilizers were ubiquitously distributed, with no significant overall concentration differences between sampling regions or between surface water and sediment samples. There were, however, significant seasonal differences in numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers. Distribution of hydrocarbon utilizers within Cook Inlet was positively correlated with occurrence of hydrocarbons in the environment. Hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials were measured by using 14 C-radiolabeled hydrocarbon-spiked crude oil. There was no significant correlation between numbers of hydrocarbon utilizers and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials. The biodegradation potentials showed large seasonal variations in the Beaufort Sea, probably due to seasonal depletion of available nutrients. Non-nutrient-limited biodegradation potentials followed the order hexadecane > naphthalene >> pristane > benzanthracene. In Cook Inlet, biodegradation potentials for hexadecane and naphthalene were dependent on availability of inorganic nutrients. Biodegradation potentials for pristane and benzanthracene were restricted, probably by resistance to attack by available enzymes in the indigenous population

Comparison of circummandibular wiring with resorbable bone plates in pediatric mandibular fractures

OpenAIRE

Saikrishna, D.; Gupta, Nimish

2010-01-01

Pediatric patients present a unique challenge to maxillofacial surgeons in terms of their treatment planning as well as in their functional and nutritional needs which are different from that of adult patients. Early literature has advocated conservative closed management of pediatric fractures to prevent complications. However recent advances in maxillofacial surgery has enabled us to use biodegradable plates and screws, which overcomes the limitations of metallic plates. We present a compar...

The BaBar Mini

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, David N.

2003-01-01

BaBar has recently deployed a new event data format referred to as the Mini. The mini uses efficient packing and aggressive noise suppression to represent the average reconstructed BaBar event in under 7 KBytes. The Mini packs detector information into simple transient data objects, which are then aggregated into roughly 10 composite persistent objects per event. The Mini currently uses Objectivity persistence, and it is being ported to use Root persistence. The Mini contains enough information to support detailed detector studies, while remaining small and fast enough to be used directly in physics analysis. Mini output is customizable, allowing users to both truncate unnecessary content or add content, depending on their needs. The Mini has now replaced three older formats as the primary output of BaBar event reconstruction. A reduced form of the Mini will soon replace the physics analysis format as well, giving BaBar a single, flexible event data format covering all its needs

The BaBar mini

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, David N.; BaBar Collaboration

2003-01-01

BaBar has recently deployed a new event data format referred to as the Mini. The mini uses efficient packing and aggressive noise suppression to represent the average reconstructed BaBar event in under 7 KBytes. The Mini packs detector information into simple transient data objects, which are then aggregated into roughly 10 composite persistent objects per event. The Mini currently uses Objectivity persistence, and it is being ported to use Root persistence. The Mini contains enough information to support detailed detector studies, while remaining small and fast enough to be used directly in physics analysis. Mini output is customizable, allowing users to both truncate unnecessary content or add content, depending on their needs. The Mini has now replaced three older formats as the primary output of BaBar event reconstruction. A reduced form of the Mini will soon replace the physics analysis format as well, giving BaBar a single, flexible event data format covering all its needs

Effect of six weeks of dura disc and mini-trampoline balance training on postural sway in athletes with functional ankle instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidgell, Dawson J; Horvath, Deanna M; Jackson, Brendan M; Seymour, Philip J

2007-05-01

Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most common injuries incurred during sporting activities, and effective rehabilitation programs for this condition are challenging to develop. The purpose of this research was to compare the effect of 6 weeks of balance training on either a mini-trampoline or a dura disc on postural sway and to determine if the mini-trampoline or the dura disc is more effective in improving postural sway. Twenty subjects (11 men, 9 women) with a mean age of 25.4 +/- 4.2 years were randomly allocated into a control group, a dura disc training (DT) group, or a mini-trampoline (MT) group. Subjects completed 6 weeks of balance training. Postural sway was measured by subjects performing a single limb stance on a force plate. The disbursement of the center of pressure was obtained from the force plate in the medial-lateral and the anterior-posterior sway path and was subsequently used for pretest and posttest analysis. After the 6-week training intervention, there was a significant (p 0.05) difference detected for improvements between the MT and DT groups. These results indicate that not only is the mini-trampoline an effective tool for improving balance after LAS, but it is equally as effective as the dura disc.

A Cost-Effective Fluorescence Mini-Microscope with Adjustable Magnifications for Biomedical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu Shrike; Ribas, João; Nadhman, Akhtar; Aleman, Julio; Selimović, Šeila; Lesher-Perez, Sasha Cai; Wang, Ting; Manoharan, Vijayan; Shin, Su-Ryon; Damilano, Alessia; Annabi, Nasim; Dokmeci, Mehmet Remzi; Takayama, Shuichi; Khademhosseini, Ali

2015-01-01

We have designed and fabricated a miniature microscope from off-the-shelf components and webcam, with built-in fluorescence capability for biomedical applications. The mini-microscope was able to detect both biochemical parameters such as cell/tissue viability (e.g. Live/Dead assay), and biophysical properties of the microenvironment such as oxygen levels in microfabricated tissues based on an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent dye. This mini-microscope has adjustable magnifications from 8-60X, achieves a resolution as high as microscope was able to chronologically monitor cell migration and analyze beating of microfluidic liver and cardiac bioreactors in real time, respectively. The mini-microscope system is cheap, and its modularity allows convenient integration with a wide variety of pre-existing platforms including but not limited to, cell culture plates, microfluidic devices, and organs-on-a-chip systems. Therefore, we envision its widespread applications in cell biology, tissue engineering, biosensing, microfluidics, and organs-on-chips, which can potentially replace conventional bench-top microscopy where long-term in situ and large-scale imaging/analysis is required. PMID:26282117

A method for predicting the extent of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huesemann, M.H.

1994-01-01

A series of solid- and slurry-phase soil bioremediation experiments involving different crude oils and refined petroleum products were performed to investigate the factors which affect the maximum extent of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) biodegradation. The authors used a comprehensive petroleum hydrocarbon characterization procedure involving group-type separation analyses, boiling-point distributions, and hydrocarbon typing by field ionization mass spectroscopy. Initial and final concentrations of specified hydrocarbon classes were determined in each of seven different bioremediation treatments. Generally, they found that the degree of TPH biodegradation was affected mainly by the type of hydrocarbons in the contaminant matrix. In contrast, the influence of experimental variables such as soil type, fertilizer concentrations, microbial plate counts, and treatment type (slurry versus landfarming) on the overall extent of TPH biodegradation was insignificant. Based on these findings, a predictive algorithm was developed to estimate the extent of TPH biodegradation from the average reduction of 86 individual hydrocarbon classes and their respective initial concentrations. Model predictions for gravimetric TPH removals were in close agreement with analytical results from two independent laboratories

Aerobic biodegradation of a nonylphenol polyethoxylate and toxicity of the biodegradation metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurado, Encarnación; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes; Núñez-Olea, Josefa; Lechuga, Manuela

2009-09-01

In this paper a study was made of the biodegradation of a non-ionic surfactant, a nonylphenol polyethoxylate, in biodegradability tests by monitoring the residual surfactant matter. The influence of the concentration on the extent of primary biodegradation, the toxicity of biodegradation metabolites, and the kinetics of degradation were also determined. The primary biodegradation was studied at different initial concentrations: 5, 25 and 50 mg/L, (at sub-and supra-critical micelle concentration). The NPEO used in this study can be considered biodegradable since the primary biodegradation had already taken place (a biodegradation greater than 80% was found for the different initial concentration tested). The initial concentration affected the shape of the resulting curve, the mean biodegradation rate and the percentage of biodegradation reached (99% in less than 8 days at 5 mg/L, 98% in less than 13 days at 25 mg/L and 95% in 14 days at 50 mg/L). The kinetic model of Quiroga and Sales (1991) was applied to predict the biodegradation of the NPEO. The toxicity value was measured as EC(20) and EC(50). In addition, during the biodegradation process of the surfactant a toxicity analysis was made of the evolution of metabolites generated, confirming that the subproducts of the biodegradation process were more toxic than the original.

Mini-Sosie - a new concept in high-resolution seismic surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiles, C J

1977-12-01

Mini-Sosie is a new approach to high-resolution reflection seismics using a nondynamite source. The basic principles is to use an ordinary earth tamper to produce a long duration pseudo-random input pulse train. Returning signals from suitable geophone arrays are decoded in real time by crosscorrelation with the reference signal recorded from a source-sensor attached to the tamper plate. Relatively weak signals are stacked until sufficient amplitude is obtained; most noise is phased out during the decoding process while in-phase seismic events are added, resulting in good signal-to-noise ratios. The resulting output is the standard field seismogram. The source is relatively quiet and surface damage is insignificant thereby avoiding environmental restrictions. Mini-Sosie is especially useful for shallow investigation to one second (two-way time) and has a wide range of applications from shallow oil and gas exploration, coal, and hard mineral exploration to hydrology and engineering studies.

Biodegradability and biodegradation rate of poly(caprolactone)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) biodegradable polymer under aerobic and anaerobic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, H S; Moon, H S; Kim, M; Nam, K; Kim, J Y

2011-03-01

The biodegradability and the biodegradation rate of two kinds biodegradable polymers; poly(caprolactone) (PCL)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), were investigated under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. PCL-starch blend was easily degraded, with 88% biodegradability in 44 days under aerobic conditions, and showed a biodegradation rate of 0.07 day(-1), whereas the biodegradability of PBS was only 31% in 80 days under the same conditions, with a biodegradation rate of 0.01 day(-1). Anaerobic bacteria degraded well PCL-starch blend (i.e., 83% biodegradability for 139 days); however, its biodegradation rate was relatively slow (6.1 mL CH(4)/g-VS day) compared to that of cellulose (13.5 mL CH(4)/g-VS day), which was used as a reference material. The PBS was barely degraded under anaerobic conditions, with only 2% biodegradability in 100 days. These results were consistent with the visual changes and FE-SEM images of the two biodegradable polymers after the landfill burial test, showing that only PCL-starch blend had various sized pinholes on the surface due to attack by microorganisms. This result may be use in deciding suitable final disposal approaches of different types of biodegradable polymers in the future. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of Biodegradation. Topics include:biodegradation using the tools of biotechnology, basic science aspects of biodegradation, the physiological characteristics of microorganisms, the use of selective techniques that enhance the process of microbial evolution of biodegradative genes in nature, the genetic characteristics of microorganisms allowing them to biodegrade both natural and synthetic toxic chemicals, the molecular techniques that allow selective assembly of genetic segments form a variety of bacterial strains to a single strain, and methods needed to advance biodegradation research as well as the high-priority chemical problems important to the Department of Defense or to the chemical industry

Comparison of local and imported osteosynthetic mandibular bone plates in terms of micro hardness in modified simulated body fluid at periodic intervals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anwar, R.; Kaleem, M.; Baig, AM.; Jamal, M.

2015-01-01

To determine the micro hardness of novel Pakistani manufactured osteosynthetic titanium bone mini plates (MPP) and imported osteosynthetic titanium bone mini plates (MPG) in body like conditions. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at School of Chemical and Material Engineering, NUST from March to May 2013. Material and Methods: Microvicker hardness tester was used for assessment of micro hardness of two types of plates. The hardness was checked before conditioning and after conditioning at (six different places) on interval of 1, 7,14,21,28 and 40 days in modified simulated body fluid with ph 7.4 and temperature 37 degree C. Results: Result showed that hardness of MPG was higher than MPP and after conditioning in simulated body fluid at all time periods, hardness of both types of plates was increased. Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that micro hardness of imported plates is more than local plates so recommendations should be sent to manufacturers of local industry of Pakistan to improve the hardness of local plates so that they can meet international standards. (author)

NEUTRONICS ANALYSIS ON MINI TEST FUEL IN THE RSG-GAS CORE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tukiran Surbakti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract NEUTRONICS ANALYSIS ON MINI TEST FUEL IN THE RSG-GAS CORE. Research of UMo fuel for research reactor has been developing  right now. The fuel of  research reactor used is uranium low enrichment with high density. For supporting the development of fuel, an assessment of mini fuel in the RSG-GAS core was performed. The mini fuel are U7Mo-Al and U6Zr-Al with densitis of 7.0gU/cc and 5.2 gU/cc, respectively. The size of both fuel are the same namely 630x70.75x1.30 mm were inserted to the 3 plates of dummy fuel. Before being irradiated in the core, a calculation for safety analysis  from neutronics and thermohydrolics aspects were required. However, in this paper will discuss safety analysis of the U7Mo-Al and U6Zr-Al mini fuels from neutronic point of view.  The calculation was done using WIMSD-5B and Batan-3DIFF code. The result showed that both of the mini fuels could be irradiated in the RSG-GAS core with burn up less than 70 % within 12 cycles of operation without over limiting the safety margin. Power density of U7Mo-Al mini fuel bigger than U6Zr-Al fuel.   Key words: mini fuel, neutronics analysis, reactor core, safety analysis   Abstrak ANALISIS NEUTRONIK ELEMEN BAKAR UJI MINI DI TERAS RSG-GAS. Penelitian tentang bahan bakar UMo untuk reaktor riset terus berkembang saat ini. Bahan bakar reaktor riset yang digunakan adalah uranium pengkayaan rendah namun densitas tinggi.  Untuk mendukung pengembangan bahan bakar dilakukan uji elemen bakar mini di teras reakror RSG-GAS dengan tujuan menentukan jumlah siklus di dalam teras sehingga tercapai fraksi bakar maksimum. Bahan bakar yang diuji adalah U7Mo-Al dengan densitas 7,0 gU/cc dan U6Zr-Al densitas 5,2 gU/cc. Ukuran kedua bahan bakar uji tersebut adalah sama 630x70,75x1,30 mm dimasukkan masing masing kedalam 3 pelat dummy bahan bakar. Sebelum diiradiasi ke dalam teras reaktor maka perlu dilakukan perhitungan keselamatan baik secara neutronik maupun termohidrolik. Dalam makalah ini

A BIODEGRADABLE FILM FROM JACKFRUIT (ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS AND DURIAN (DURIO ZIBETHINUS SEED FLOURS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diah S. Retnowati

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus and durian (Durio zibethinus seeds contain high portion of amylose, which makes them potential materials for biodegradable films. The objective of this study is to develop biodegradable films composed of jackfruit and durian seed flours and glycerol as plasticizer. The films were prepared by dispersing flours in water, adding glycerol, heating the mixture, casting the solution on an acrylic plate, and drying the films at 50 ºC for 20 hours. Glycerol contributes to the flexibility of the film, while reduces the strength of the film. The Young’s modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break increase as the ratio of jackfruit to durian seed flour increases. The films made from jackfruit and durian seed flours in this work are stronger than the film made from rice flour obtained by other researcher. Therefore, jackfruit and durian seed flours are potential raw material for biodegradable films.

Depth dose distribution in the water for clinical applicators of 90Sr + 90Y, with a extrapolation mini chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonio, Patricia de Lara; Caldas, Linda V.E.; Oliveira, Mercia L.

2009-01-01

This work determines the depth dose in the water for clinical applicators of 90 Sr + 90 Y, using a extrapolation mini chamber developed at the IPEN, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and different thickness acrylic plates. The obtained results were compared with the international recommendations and were considered satisfactory

Biodegradable Polymers

OpenAIRE

Vroman, Isabelle; Tighzert, Lan

2009-01-01

Biodegradable materials are used in packaging, agriculture, medicine and other areas. In recent years there has been an increase in interest in biodegradable polymers. Two classes of biodegradable polymers can be distinguished: synthetic or natural polymers. There are polymers produced from feedstocks derived either from petroleum resources (non renewable resources) or from biological resources (renewable resources). In general natural polymers offer fewer advantages than synthetic polymers. ...

Intimately coupling of photolysis accelerates nitrobenzene biodegradation, but sequential coupling slows biodegradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Lihui [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Zhang, Yongming, E-mail: zhym@shnu.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Bai, Qi; Yan, Ning; Xu, Hua [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Rittmann, Bruce E. [Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701 (United States)

2015-04-28

Highlights: • Intimately coupled UV photolysis accelerated nitrobenzene biodegradation. • NB biodegradation was slowed by accumulation of nitrophenol. • Oxalic acid was a key product of UV photolysis. • Oxalic acid accelerated biodegradation of nitrobenzene and nitrophenol by a co-substrate effect. • Intimate coupling of UV and biodegradation accentuated the benefits of oxalic acid. - Abstract: Photo(cata)lysis coupled with biodegradation is superior to photo(cata)lysis or biodegradation alone for removal of recalcitrant organic compounds. The two steps can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously via intimate coupling. We studied nitrobenzene (NB) removal and mineralization to evaluate why intimate coupling of photolysis with biodegradation was superior to sequential coupling. Employing an internal circulation baffled biofilm reactor, we compared direct biodegradation (B), biodegradation after photolysis (P + B), simultaneous photolysis and biodegradation (P&B), and biodegradation with nitrophenol (NP) and oxalic acid (OA) added individually and simultaneously (B + NP, B + OA, and B + NP + OA); NP and OA were NB’s main UV-photolysis products. Compared with B, the biodegradation rate P + B was lower by 13–29%, but intimately coupling (P&B) had a removal rate that was 10–13% higher; mineralization showed similar trends. B + OA gave results similar to P&B, B + NP gave results similar to P + B, and B + OA + NP gave results between P + B and P&B, depending on the amount of OA and NP added. The photolysis product OA accelerated NB biodegradation through a co-substrate effect, but NP was inhibitory. Although decreasing the UV photolysis time could minimize the inhibition impact of NP in P + B, P&B gave the fastest removal of NB by accentuating the co-substrate effect of OA.

Intimately coupling of photolysis accelerates nitrobenzene biodegradation, but sequential coupling slows biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Lihui; Zhang, Yongming; Bai, Qi; Yan, Ning; Xu, Hua; Rittmann, Bruce E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Intimately coupled UV photolysis accelerated nitrobenzene biodegradation. • NB biodegradation was slowed by accumulation of nitrophenol. • Oxalic acid was a key product of UV photolysis. • Oxalic acid accelerated biodegradation of nitrobenzene and nitrophenol by a co-substrate effect. • Intimate coupling of UV and biodegradation accentuated the benefits of oxalic acid. - Abstract: Photo(cata)lysis coupled with biodegradation is superior to photo(cata)lysis or biodegradation alone for removal of recalcitrant organic compounds. The two steps can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously via intimate coupling. We studied nitrobenzene (NB) removal and mineralization to evaluate why intimate coupling of photolysis with biodegradation was superior to sequential coupling. Employing an internal circulation baffled biofilm reactor, we compared direct biodegradation (B), biodegradation after photolysis (P + B), simultaneous photolysis and biodegradation (P&B), and biodegradation with nitrophenol (NP) and oxalic acid (OA) added individually and simultaneously (B + NP, B + OA, and B + NP + OA); NP and OA were NB’s main UV-photolysis products. Compared with B, the biodegradation rate P + B was lower by 13–29%, but intimately coupling (P&B) had a removal rate that was 10–13% higher; mineralization showed similar trends. B + OA gave results similar to P&B, B + NP gave results similar to P + B, and B + OA + NP gave results between P + B and P&B, depending on the amount of OA and NP added. The photolysis product OA accelerated NB biodegradation through a co-substrate effect, but NP was inhibitory. Although decreasing the UV photolysis time could minimize the inhibition impact of NP in P + B, P&B gave the fastest removal of NB by accentuating the co-substrate effect of OA

Psychometric properties of a sign language version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).

Science.gov (United States)

Øhre, Beate; Saltnes, Hege; von Tetzchner, Stephen; Falkum, Erik

2014-05-22

There is a need for psychiatric assessment instruments that enable reliable diagnoses in persons with hearing loss who have sign language as their primary language. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Norwegian Sign Language (NSL) version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The MINI was translated into NSL. Forty-one signing patients consecutively referred to two specialised psychiatric units were assessed with a diagnostic interview by clinical experts and with the MINI. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen's kappa and "observed agreement". There was 65% agreement between MINI diagnoses and clinical expert diagnoses. Kappa values indicated fair to moderate agreement, and observed agreement was above 76% for all diagnoses. The MINI diagnosed more co-morbid conditions than did the clinical expert interview (mean diagnoses: 1.9 versus 1.2). Kappa values indicated moderate to substantial agreement, and "observed agreement" was above 88%. The NSL version performs similarly to other MINI versions and demonstrates adequate reliability and validity as a diagnostic instrument for assessing mental disorders in persons who have sign language as their primary and preferred language.

Psychometric properties of a sign language version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background There is a need for psychiatric assessment instruments that enable reliable diagnoses in persons with hearing loss who have sign language as their primary language. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Norwegian Sign Language (NSL) version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Methods The MINI was translated into NSL. Forty-one signing patients consecutively referred to two specialised psychiatric units were assessed with a diagnostic interview by clinical experts and with the MINI. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen’s kappa and “observed agreement”. Results There was 65% agreement between MINI diagnoses and clinical expert diagnoses. Kappa values indicated fair to moderate agreement, and observed agreement was above 76% for all diagnoses. The MINI diagnosed more co-morbid conditions than did the clinical expert interview (mean diagnoses: 1.9 versus 1.2). Kappa values indicated moderate to substantial agreement, and “observed agreement” was above 88%. Conclusion The NSL version performs similarly to other MINI versions and demonstrates adequate reliability and validity as a diagnostic instrument for assessing mental disorders in persons who have sign language as their primary and preferred language. PMID:24886297

Biodegradation of glyphosate herbicide by Salinicoccus spp isolated from Qom Hoze-soltan lake, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaser Sharifi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl Glycine is an organophosphorus pesticide with dangerous effects on the environment. In this study, the biodegradation of glyphosate herbicide by halophilic bacteria isolated from Qom Hoze-Soltan Lake has been investigated. Methods: After sampling and bacterial isolation, native halophilic strains grown in the presence of glyphosate at a wavelength of 660 nm and also the disappearance of the glyphosate in the plates at a wavelength of 220 nm were determined and the dominant bacteria were isolated. Biochemical, molecular (according to the 16S rRNA sequence, antibiotic, and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC test was performed for the dominant bacteria. Analysis of the remaining glyphosate herbicide was performed by HPLC analysis after derivation with FMOC-Cl. Results: According to the results of the biochemical, antibiotic and molecular 16S rRNA tests, the native halophilic isolates with the ability to biodegrade glyphosate were gram positive cocci very similar to Salinicoccusspp. The results of HPLC showed that Salinicoccusspp is able to biodegrade glyphosate herbicide. Conclusion: The native bacteria in Qom Hoze-soltanlake, Iran can be used for biodegradation of glyphosate herbicide.

Combined Mini-Cylex & Disk Acceleration Tests in Type K Copper.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maines, Warren Russell [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kittell, David E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hobbs, Michael L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-12-01

We combined the miniature cylinder expansion test (Mini-Cylex), with the Disk Acceleration Test (DAX) using Type K copper, Picatinny Liquid Explosive, and photonic Doppler velocimetry. We estimated the CJ state using plate reverberation methods at the test cap. We extracted velocities at 2, 7, and 10 volume expansions to fit Jones-Wilkins-Lee Equation of State at the tube wall. And we estimated Gurney velocity both at the test cap and tube wall. Our experiments and simulations are within expected uncertainty. The test and the analysis effectively reduce costs while keeping similar fidelity compared with more expensive tests.

Grey water biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghunmi, Lina Abu; Zeeman, Grietje; Fayyad, Manar; van Lier, Jules B

2011-02-01

Knowing the biodegradability characteristics of grey water constituents is imperative for a proper design and operation of a biological treatment system of grey water. This study characterizes the different COD fractions of dormitory grey water and investigates the effect of applying different conditions in the biodegradation test. The maximum aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability and conversion rate for the different COD fractions is determined. The results show that, on average, dormitory grey water COD fractions are 28% suspended, 32% colloidal and 40% dissolved. The studied factors incubation time, inoculum addition and temperature are influencing the determined biodegradability. The maximum biodegradability and biodegradation rate differ between different COD fractions, viz. COD(ss), COD(col) and COD(diss). The dissolved COD fraction is characterised by the lowest degradation rate, both for anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The maximum biodegradability for aerobic and anaerobic conditions is 86 and 70% respectively, whereas the first order conversion rate constant, k₂₀, is 0.119 and 0.005 day⁻¹, respectively. The anaerobic and aerobic conversion rates in relation to temperature can be described by the Arrhenius relation, with temperature coefficients of 1.069 and 1.099, respectively.

CNEA developments in U-Mo-ZrY-4 mini plates and plates fabrication process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López, M.; Picchetti, B.; Gonzalez, A.; Taboada, H.

2013-01-01

The Uranium Molybdenum alloy was the material chosen to develop the fabrication of high density nuclear fuel, due to its excellent behaviour under irradiation –a consequence of the metastable bcc crystalline structure-. At present, the study is focused on the application of this alloy to monolithic fuel plate development, which fuel core is a thin U-Mo layer. The Zircalloy-4 (Zry-4) alloy used as cladding material is extensively known in the nuclear industry due to its low neutron capture section efficiency and excellent mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. Miniplates fabrication process involves a welded compact made of two Zry-4 covers and a frame surrounding a monolithic U-Mo core, which is co rolled under high temperature. Molybdenum contains of 7% to 10% (mass) in U Mo alloys guarantees the presence of meta-stable bcc gamma phase and, at the same time, does not penalize the neutron economy due to Mo98 presence. In the case of U Mo monolithic miniplates relevant parameters of fabrication, considering the behaviour of the U-Mo alloys reported in many work and in order to optimize the o-rolling process, have been revised: co-rolling temperature, compressive stress and presence of gap. Under this experimental conditions can be studied the the interdiffusion layer, the binding between materials and the Dog Bone. The experimental results shows that 650ºC is an optimal co-rolling temperature; at higher temperatures not only a bigger interdiffusion layer is observed –this phenomenon can lead to a region enriched in Molybdenum- but also a bigger Dog Bone is obtained. Working at higher compressive stress has the same effect in relation to the interdiffusion layer. In addition, the absence of gases in the core is essential for the correct binding of the materials. Concerning the monolithic U-Mo plates fabrication, involved in the ALT FUTURE experiment a new workshop has been conditioned. The aim is to use all the valuable information collected during

Return of the mini

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashmore, C.

2001-01-01

Partly as a result of the contentious nature of some large hydroelectric schemes, and continuing deregulation on a global scale, the mini hydro systems are enjoying unprecedented growth. This article discusses the reasons for the increase in demand for mini hydro systems, and describes Alstom Power Hydro's new, integrated 'water-to-wire' renewable energy solution which is a modular system which integrates the hydro-turbine, generator and controls to provide a single optimised product called the Mini-Aqua. The Mini-Aqua can be supplied inside a turnkey package including all civil works. The company is also looking to the future with development of its Powerformer technology for smaller-scale, grid-connected applications

Consistência interna da versão em português do Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN Internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo J. Fonseca D'El Rey

2007-01-01

Full Text Available CONTEXTO: A fobia social é um grave transtorno de ansiedade que traz incapacitação e sofrimento. OBJETIVOS: Investigar a consistência interna da versão em português do Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo da consistência interna do Mini-SPIN em uma amostra de 206 estudantes universitários da cidade de São Paulo, SP. RESULTADOS: A consistência interna do instrumento, analisada pelo coeficiente alfa de Cronbach, foi de 0,81. CONCLUSÕES: Esses achados permitiram concluir que a versão em português do Mini-SPIN exibiu resultados de boa consistência interna, semelhantes aos da versão original em inglês.BACKGROUND: Social phobia is a severe anxiety disorder that brings disability and distress. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN. METHODS: We conducted a study of internal consistency of the Mini-SPIN in a sample of 206 college students of the city of São Paulo, SP. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the instrument, analyzed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, was 0.81. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN has a good internal consistency, similar to those obtained with the original English version.

Graphic software ''MiniG'' for the Mini-6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zen, J.

1984-06-01

MiniG is a set of subprograms, written and aimed at being used in Fortran for graphic applications in nuclear physics (histograms or point clouds). It includes three representation modes of axis scales (linear, semi-log and squared root), five types of vectors and numerous graphic symbols for spectra representation with or without notation (circle, cross, arrow, triangle, spiral, etc.). It offers also the possibilities of the software ''Plot-10'' of Tektronix, and accept all the types of graphic terminals of SATD connected to Mini-6 [fr

[Validation of the portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN)].

Science.gov (United States)

D'El Rey, Gustavo José Fonseca; Matos, Cláudia Wilmor

2009-01-01

Social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder) is a severe mental disorder that brings distress and disability. The aim of this study was validate to the Portuguese language the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN) in a populational sample. We performed a discriminative validity study of the Mini-SPIN in a sample of 644 subjects (Mini-SPIN positive group: n = 218 and control/negative group: n = 426) of a study of anxiety disorders' prevalence in the city of Santo André-SP. The Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN (with score of 6 points, suggested in the original English version) demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.0%, specificity of 80.3%, positive predictive value of 52.8%, negative predictive value of 98.6% and incorrect classification rate of 16.9%. With score of 7 points, was observed an increase in the specificity and positive predictive value (88.6% and 62.7%), while the sensitivity and negative predictive value (84.8% and 96.2%) remained high. The Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN showed satisfactory psychometric qualities in terms of discriminative validity. In this study, the cut-off of 7, was considered to be the most suitable to screening of the generalized social phobia.

Application of hydrodynamic cavitation to improve the biodegradability of mature landfill leachate.

Science.gov (United States)

Bis, M; Montusiewicz, A; Ozonek, J; Pasieczna-Patkowska, S

2015-09-01

In this study, the application of hydrodynamic cavitation to improve the biodegradability of mature landfill leachate was investigated. Three configurations of cavitation device were examined and operational parameters of the process were selected. The study indicated that the orifice plate with a 3/10mm diameter conical concentric hole, characterized by the cavitation number of 0.033, is a reasonable choice to ensure the enhanced biodegradability of mature leachate. Using such a configuration and maintaining 30 recirculation passes through the cavitation zone at inlet pressure of 7 bar, the highest increase of biodegradability index (BI) of approximately 22% occurred, i.e., from the value of 0.046 to 0.056. The FT-IR/PAS analysis confirmed a degradation of refractory compounds that typically prevail in mature leachate. An evaluation of energy efficiency was made in terms of the actual consumed energy measured by using the Kyoritsu KEW6310 Power Quality Tester. A cavitational yield of 9.8 mg COD kJ(-1) was obtained for the optimum configuration and 30 recirculation passes. Regarding energy efficiency, the application of 10 cavitation cycles appeared to be the most profitable. This was due to an almost threefold higher cavitational yield of 27.5 mg COD kJ(-1). However, the preferable option should be selected by considering a satisfactory effect in the biodegradability enhancement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable liquid scintillation cocktails used for tritium-in-water and urine analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haddock, J.A.

1992-11-01

The performance of a number of liquid scintillation cocktails was evaluated for quench resistance, sample capacity, cost, waste reduction and limit of detection. Directed towards the specific applications of counting tritium in water and urine samples, this study illustrated the potential of the newer, biodegradable cocktails, which mostly exhibited comparable or superior counting performance to the traditional cocktails. Reduced cocktail volumes and the use of mini vials is recommended for medium-load cocktails used for routine urine or water analyses, since a significant decrease in the volume of waste generated in Canadian nuclear facilities would result. (Author) (13 refs., 5 tabs., 44 figs.)

P A Mini

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. P A Mini. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 36 Issue 4 August 2013 pp 547-551. Composite supercapacitor electrodes made of activated carbon/PEDOT:PSS and activated carbon/doped PEDOT · T S Sonia P A Mini R Nandhini Kalluri Sujith Balakrishnan ...

Validação da versão em português do Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN) Validation of the portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN)

OpenAIRE

Gustavo José Fonseca D'El Rey; Cláudia Wilmor Matos

2009-01-01

A fobia social (também conhecida como transtorno de ansiedade social) é um grave transtorno mental que traz sofrimento e incapacitação. O objetivo deste estudo foi validar para a língua portuguesa o Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN) em uma amostra da população. Foi realizado um estudo da validade discriminativa do Mini-SPIN em uma amostra de 644 pessoas (grupo positivo para o Mini-SPIN: n = 218 e grupo controle/negativo: n = 426) de um estudo de prevalência de transtornos de ansieda...

Biodegradability of plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokiwa, Yutaka; Calabia, Buenaventurada P; Ugwu, Charles U; Aiba, Seiichi

2009-08-26

Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.). In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

Water droplet accumulation and motion in PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell mini-channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carton, J.G.; Lawlor, V.; Olabi, A.G.; Hochenauer, C.; Zauner, G.

2012-01-01

Effective water management is one of the key strategies for improving low temperature PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell performance and durability. Phenomena such as membrane dehydration, catalyst layer flooding, mass transport and fluid flow regimes can be affected by the interaction, distribution and movement of water in flow plate channels. In this paper a literature review is completed in relation to PEM fuel cell water flooding. It is clear that droplet formation, movement and interaction with the GDL (Gas Diffusion Layer) have been studied extensively. However slug formation and droplet accumulation in the flow channels has not been analysed in detail. In this study, a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) model and VOF (Volume of Fluid) method is used to simulate water droplet movement and slug formation in PEM fuel cell mini-channels. In addition, water slug visualisation is recorded in ex situ PEM fuel cell mini-channels. Observation and simulation results are discussed with relation to slug formation and the implications to PEM fuel cell performance. -- Highlights: ► Excess water in mini-channels from the collision and coalescence of droplets can directly form slugs in PEM fuel cells. ► Slugs can form at low flow rates so increasing the flow rate can reduce the size and frequency of slugs. ► One channel of a double serpentine mini-channel may become blocked due to the redistribution of airflow and pressure caused by slug formation. ► Correct GDL and mini-channel surface coatings are essential to reduce slug formation and stagnation. ► Having geometry changes (bends and steps) in the flow fields can disrupt slug movement and avoid channel blockages.

MiniCNT - A Tabletop Stellarator

Science.gov (United States)

Dugan, Chris; Pedersen, Thomas; Berkery, John

2006-10-01

MiniCNT is a scaled down version of the Columbia Non-Neutral Torus, a stellarator built to study confinement of non-neutral plasmas on magnetic surfaces. MiniCNT is a glass vacuum chamber capable of holding pressures six orders of magnitude below atmospheric pressure. Unlike CNT, in which plasmas are invisible, MiniCNT allows some collisions with neutrals, causing it to glow. Using two twelve-volt car batteries to power four magnetic coils, MiniCNT generates a 0.02 Tesla magnetic field. While CNT, being larger, is obviously more accurate, there are multiple benefits in MiniCNT. First, it is more flexible and can be adjusted to fit many scenarios easily. The car batteries can be switched for other power sources, the coils can be realigned, and the chamber can be pumped to various pressures of various gases. Also, it is visually accessible; while CNT has glass viewing ports and its plasma is dark, MiniCNT is made of glass and its plasma glows, allowing visualization of the magnetic surfaces.

Mini-Cog and Mini-Mental State Examination: agreement in a cross-sectional study with an elderly sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Diogo; Severo, Milton; Fraga, Sílvia; Barros, Henrique

2012-01-01

We aimed to compare the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) with the Mini-Cog, measuring agreement in participants' classification, using a general population sample. Cross-sectional evaluation of 609 community dwellers aged ≥60 years was performed by trained interviewers. Cohen's kappa and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess overall agreement, and Cronbach alphas computed to assess reliability. Two-parameter Item Response Theory models (difficulty and discrimination parameters) were used to assess discrimination. Considering MMSE cut-point for scores Mini-Cog's cut-point score Mini-Cog Mini-Cog Mini-Cog's alpha was 0.2776. Co-calibration according to inherent ability is graphically presented. Agreement between scales seems fragile in our sample. The discriminative and reliability analysis suggests a better performance for subsets of the MMSE compared with the Mini-Cog. Usefulness of calibrated scores is discussed. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

MiniDraw

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2018-01-01

MiniDraw is a teaching-oriented 2D graphics direct manipulation framework in Java, inspired by JHotDraw. It is used in the book "Flexible, Reliable Software - using Patterns and Agile Development", by Henrik Bærbak Christensen, published by CRC Press 2010.......MiniDraw is a teaching-oriented 2D graphics direct manipulation framework in Java, inspired by JHotDraw. It is used in the book "Flexible, Reliable Software - using Patterns and Agile Development", by Henrik Bærbak Christensen, published by CRC Press 2010....

Mini-grid Policy Tool-kit. Policy and business frameworks for successful mini-grid roll-outs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franz, Michael; Hayek, Niklas; Peterschmidt, Nico; Rohrer, Michael; Kondev, Bozhil; Adib, Rana; Cader, Catherina; Carter, Andrew; George, Peter; Gichungi, Henry; Hankins, Mark; Kappiah, Mahama; Mangwengwende, Simbarashe E.

2014-01-01

The Mini-grid Policy Tool-kit is for policy makers to navigate the mini-grid policy design process. It contains information on mini-grid operator models, the economics of mini-grids, and necessary policy and regulation that must be considered for successful implementation. The publication specifically focuses on Africa. Progress on extending the electricity grid in many countries has remained slow because of high costs of gird-extension and limited utility/state budgets for electrification. Mini-grids provide an affordable and cost-effective option to extend needed electricity services. Putting in place the right policy for min-grid deployment requires considerable effort but can yield significant improvement in electricity access rates as examples from Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania illustrate. The tool-kit is available in English, French and Portuguese

Biodegradability of Plastics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutaka Tokiwa

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.. In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

Anaerobic biodegradability of macropollutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angelidaki, Irini

2002-01-01

A variety of test procedures for determination of anaerobic biodegradability has been reported. This paper reviews the methods developed for determination of anaerobic biodegradability of macro-pollutants. Anaerobic biodegradability of micro-pollutants is not included. Furthermore, factors...

Review of mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX in a psychiatry clerkship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meresh E

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Edwin Meresh,1 David Daniels,2 Aparna Sharma,1 Murali Rao,1 Kaushal Mehta,3 David Schilling1 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA; 2Department of Psychiatry, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; 3School of Public Health, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL USA Background: Direct observation of medical students with actual patients is important for the assessment of clinical skills including interviewing and counseling skills. This article describes medical students’ experience of mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX during their clerkship in consultation psychiatry. Materials and methods: In our center during inpatient consultation psychiatry clerkship, all rotating students are expected to complete one mini-CEX assessment as part of their clinical training. We conducted retrospective analysis of mini-CEX ratings completed from 2013 to 2016. All evaluations took place at inpatient medical setting in patients admitted with medical conditions and psychiatric comorbidities. Results: A total of 113 evaluations were reviewed. The time examiner observed the interaction of a student with the patient was 14.24 minutes (mean, and the time spent in providing feedback to the student was 9.71 minutes. Complexity of problem was rated as low in 0.88% (n=1, moderate in 50.44% (n=57, and high in 48.67% (n=55. Highest ratings were for professionalism, similar to previous reports. Total score calculated by examiner showed no difference by the complexity of the patient; however, we observed a trend in higher counseling score for the high complexity group. Conclusion: Mini-CEX assessment during busy clerkship is feasible with good outcomes. Direct observation of medical trainees with actual patients is important for the assessment of performance-based clinical skills. Hospital psychiatry rotation

Biodegradation and bioremediation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albrechtsen, H.-J.

1996-01-01

Anmeldelse af Alexander,M.: Biodegradation and bioremediation. Academic Press, Sandiego, USA, 1994......Anmeldelse af Alexander,M.: Biodegradation and bioremediation. Academic Press, Sandiego, USA, 1994...

Psychometric properties of a sign language version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)

OpenAIRE

Øhre, Beate; Saltnes, Hege; von Tetzchner, Stephen; Falkum, Erik

2014-01-01

Background There is a need for psychiatric assessment instruments that enable reliable diagnoses in persons with hearing loss who have sign language as their primary language. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Norwegian Sign Language (NSL) version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Methods The MINI was translated into NSL. Forty-one signing patients consecutively referred to two specialised psychiatric units were assessed with a diagnos...

iPad mini for dummies

CERN Document Server

Baig, Edward C

2014-01-01

Find out why the iPad mini has never been bigger This new edition of iPad mini For Dummies covers all the latest tips and tricks for getting an even bigger bang out of your iPad mini. Presented in full-color and written in the straightforward but fun language that has defined the For Dummies brand for more than twenty years, this friendly guide walks you through the multitouch interface, going online, getting connected, packing your iPad mini with apps, games, e-books, photos, music, and movies, synchronizing your data, texting with iMessage, working with Siri, importing pictures and launching

Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Trichoderma species: a mini review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra, German; Cortés-Espinosa, Diana V

2015-12-01

Fungi belonging to Trichoderma genus are ascomycetes found in soils worldwide. Trichoderma has been studied in relation to diverse biotechnological applications and are known as successful colonizers of their common habitats. Members of this genus have been well described as effective biocontrol organisms through the production of secondary metabolites with potential applications as new antibiotics. Even though members of Trichoderma are commonly used for the commercial production of lytic enzymes, as a biological control agent, and also in the food industry, their use in xenobiotic biodegradation is limited. Trichoderma stands out as a genus with a great range of substrate utilization, a high production of antimicrobial compounds, and its ability for environmental opportunism. In this review, we focused on the recent advances in the research of Trichoderma species as potent and efficient aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading organisms, as well as aimed to provide insight into its potential role in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with heavy hydrocarbons. Several Trichoderma species are associated with the ability to metabolize a variety of both high and low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as naphthalene, phenanthrene, chrysene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene. PAH-degrading species include Trichoderma hamatum, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma reesei, Trichoderma koningii, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma virens, and Trichoderma asperellum using alternate enzyme systems commonly seen in other organisms, such as multicooper laccases, peroxidases, and ring-cleavage dioxygenases. Within these species, T. asperellum stands out as a versatile organism with remarkable degrading abilities, high tolerance, and a remarkable potential to be used as a remediation agent in polluted soils.

Validação da versão em português do Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN Validation of the portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo José Fonseca D'El Rey

2009-12-01

Full Text Available A fobia social (também conhecida como transtorno de ansiedade social é um grave transtorno mental que traz sofrimento e incapacitação. O objetivo deste estudo foi validar para a língua portuguesa o Mini-Inventário de Fobia Social (Mini-SPIN em uma amostra da população. Foi realizado um estudo da validade discriminativa do Mini-SPIN em uma amostra de 644 pessoas (grupo positivo para o Mini-SPIN: n = 218 e grupo controle/negativo: n = 426 de um estudo de prevalência de transtornos de ansiedade na cidade de Santo André (SP. A versão em português do Mini-SPIN (com escore de 6 pontos, sugerido na versão original em inglês demonstrou uma sensibilidade de 95,0%, especificidade de 80,3%, valor preditivo positivo de 52,8%, valor preditivo negativo de 98,6% e taxa de classificação incorreta de 16,9%. Com escores de 7 pontos, foi observado um aumento na especificidade e no valor preditivo positivo (88,6% e 62,7%, sendo que a sensibilidade e o valor preditivo negativo (84,8% e 96,2% mantiveram-se altos. A versão em português do Mini-SPIN apresentou qualidades psicométricas satisfatórias em termos de validade discriminativa. Neste estudo, o ponto de corte igual a 7 mostrou-se mais adequado para a identificação da fobia social generalizada.Social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder is a severe mental disorder that brings distress and disability. The aim of this study was validate to the Portuguese language the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN in a populational sample. We performed a discriminative validity study of the Mini-SPIN in a sample of 644 subjects (Mini-SPIN positive group: n = 218 and control/negative group: n = 426 of a study of anxiety disorders' prevalence in the city of Santo André-SP. The Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN (with score of 6 points, suggested in the original English version demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.0%, specificity of 80.3%, positive predictive value of 52.8%, negative predictive

Swelling of U-7Mo/Al-Si dispersion fuel plates under irradiation – Non-destructive analysis of the AFIP-1 fuel plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wachs, D.M., E-mail: daniel.wachs@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States); Robinson, A.B.; Rice, F.J. [Idaho National Laboratory, Characterization and Advanced PIE Division, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States); Kraft, N.C.; Taylor, S.C. [Idaho National Laboratory, Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States); Lillo, M. [Idaho National Laboratory, Nuclear Systems Design and Analysis Division, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States); Woolstenhulme, N.; Roth, G.A. [Idaho National Laboratory, Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States)

2016-08-01

Extensive fuel-matrix interactions leading to plate pillowing have proven to be a significant impediment to the development of a suitable high density low-enriched uranium molybdenum alloy (U-Mo) based dispersion fuel for high power applications in research reactors. The addition of silicon to the aluminum matrix was previously demonstrated to reduce interaction layer growth in mini-plate experiments. The AFIP-1 project involved the irradiation, in-canal examination, and post-irradiation examination of two fuel plates. The irradiation of two distinct full size, flat fuel plates (one using an Al-2wt%Si matrix and the other an Al-4043 (∼4.8 wt% Si) matrix) was performed in the INL ATR reactor in 2008–2009. The irradiation conditions were: ∼250 W/cm{sup 2} peak Beginning Of Life (BOL) power, with a ∼3.5e21 f/cm{sup 3} peak burnup. The plates were successfully irradiated and did not show any pillowing at the end of the irradiation. This paper reports the results and interpretation of the in-canal and post-irradiation non-destructive examinations that were performed on these fuel plates. It further compares additional PIE results obtained on fuel plates irradiated in contemporary campaigns in order to allow a complete comparison with all results obtained under similar conditions. Except for a brief indication of accelerated swelling early in the irradiation of the Al-2Si plate, the fuel swelling is shown to evolve linearly with the fission density through the maximum burnup.

The Effect of a Condylar Repositioning Plate on Condylar Position and Relapse in Two-Jaw Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gyu Sik Jung

2017-01-01

Full Text Available BackgroundNumerous condylar repositioning methods have been reported. However, most of them are 2-dimensional or are complex procedures that require a longer operation time and a highly trained surgeon. This study aims to introduce a new technique using a condylar repositioning plate and a centric relation splint to achieve a centric relationship.MethodsWe evaluated 387 patients who had undergone surgery for skeletal jaw deformities. During the operation, a centric relation splint, intermediate splint, final centric occlusion splint, and condylar repositioning plate along with an L-type mini-plate for LeFort I osteotomy or a bicortical screw for bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy were utilized for rigid fixation. The evaluation included: a physical examination to detect preoperative and postoperative temporomandibular joint dysfunction, 3-dimensional computed tomography and oblique transcranial temporomandibular joint radiography to measure 3-dimensional condylar head movement, and posteroanterior and lateral cephalometric radiography to measure the preoperative and postoperative movement of the bony segment and relapse rate.ResultsA 0.3% relapse rate was observed in the coronal plane, and a 2.8% relapse rate in the sagittal plane, which is indistinguishable from the dental relapse rate in orthodontic treatment. The condylar repositioning plate could not fully prevent movement of the condylar head, but the relapse rate was minimal, implying that the movement of the condylar head was within tolerable limits.ConclusionsOur condylar repositioning method using a centric relation splint and mini-plate in orthognathic surgery was found to be simple and effective for patients suffering from skeletal jaw deformities.

Spurious RF signals emitted by mini-UAVs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schleijpen, R.; Voogt, V.; Zwamborn, P.; Oever, J. van den

2016-01-01

This paper presents experimental work on the detection of spurious RF emissions of mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (mini-UAV). Many recent events have shown that mini-UAVs can be considered as a potential threat for civil security. For this reason the detection of mini-UAVs has become of interest to

Three-dimensional analysis of maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy using hydroxyapatite/poly-L-lactide plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jung-Hyun; Kim, Minkyu; Kim, Sang Yoon; Jung, Hwi-Dong; Jung, Young-Soo

2016-04-01

To evaluate three-dimensional change in maxillary position using biodegradable plates. A total of 53 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery using biodegradable plates were analyzed retrospectively. The position of maxilla was measured three-dimensionally using cone beam computed tomography data at preoperative (T0), 1-month postoperative (T1), and 1-year postoperative (T2) time points. Changes in the maxilla 1 year after the operation (T2-T1) were analyzed to demonstrate postoperative stability. The correlation between postoperative relapse (T2-T1) and surgical movement (T1-T0) of the maxilla was investigated. At 1-year postoperatively, no significant changes in maxillary position were noted in the antero-posterior and transverse dimensions. The anterior maxillary position in the vertical dimension also showed no significant changes, but the posterior maxillary position (posterior nasal spine, greater palatine foramen) showed a 0- to 2.98-mm relapse at 1-year postoperatively. The posterior maxilla tended to relapse inferiorly when the amount of surgical upward movement was greater than 3-3.5 mm and to relapse superiorly when the amount of surgical upward movement was less than 3-3.5 mm. For all patients, no postoperative complications in the osteofixated maxilla were observed during the follow-up period. Maxilla fixed with biodegradable plates was stable in the antero-posterior and transverse and the vertical (anterior maxilla) dimensions. Posterior maxillary vertical relapse was clinically acceptable, but relapse patterns that relate to the amount of surgical upward movement should be considered for surgical treatment planning. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The ASTRI mini-array within the future Cherenkov Telescope Array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vercellone Stefano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA is a large collaborative effort aimed at the design and operation of an observatory dedicated to very high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics in the energy range from a few tens of GeV to above 100 TeV, which will yield about an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity with respect to the current major arrays (H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS. Within this framework, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics is leading the ASTRI project, whose main goals are the design and installation on Mt. Etna (Sicily of an end-to-end dual-mirror prototype of the CTA small size telescope (SST and the installation at the CTA Southern site of a dual-mirror SST mini-array composed of nine units with a relative distance of about 300 m. The innovative dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder optical solution adopted for the ASTRI Project allows us to substantially reduce the telescope plate-scale and, therefore, to adopt silicon photo-multipliers as light detectors. The ASTRI mini-array is a wider international effort. The mini-array, sensitive in the energy range 1–100 TeV and beyond with an angular resolution of a few arcmin and an energy resolution of about 10–15%, is well suited to study relatively bright sources (a few × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 at 10 TeV at very high energy. Prominent sources such as extreme blazars, nearby well-known BL Lac objects, Galactic pulsar wind nebulae, supernovae remnants, micro-quasars, and the Galactic Center can be observed in a previously unexplored energy range. The ASTRI mini-array will extend the current IACTs sensitivity well above a few tens of TeV and, at the same time, will allow us to compare our results on a few selected targets with those of current (HAWC and future high-altitude extensive air-shower detectors.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID).

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Laura; Georgiades, Kathy; Wang, Li; Van Lieshout, Ryan J; MacMillan, Harriet L; Ferro, Mark A; Lipman, Ellen L; Szatmari, Peter; Bennett, Kathryn; Kata, Anna; Janus, Magdalena; Boyle, Michael H

2017-12-04

The goals of the study were to examine test-retest reliability, informant agreement and convergent and discriminant validity of nine DSM-IV-TR psychiatric disorders classified by parent and youth versions of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID). Using samples drawn from the general population and child mental health outpatient clinics, 283 youth aged 9 to 18 years and their parents separately completed the MINI-KID with trained lay interviewers on two occasions 7 to 14 days apart. Test-retest reliability estimates based on kappa (κ) went from 0.33 to 0.79 across disorders, samples and informants. Parent-youth agreement on disorders was low (average κ = 0.20). Confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence supporting convergent and discriminant validity. The MINI-KID disorder classifications yielded estimates of test-retest reliability and validity comparable to other standardized diagnostic interviews in both general population and clinic samples. These findings, in addition to the brevity and low administration cost, make the MINI-KID a good candidate for use in epidemiological research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Biodegradable congress 2012; Bioschmierstoff-Kongress 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-11-01

Within the Guelzower expert discussions at 5th and 6th June, 2012 in Oberhausen (Federal Republic of Germany) the following lectures were held: (1) Promotion of biodegradable lubricants by means of research and development as well as public relations (Steffen Daebeler); (2) Biodegradable lubricants - An overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the engaged product groups (Hubertus Murrenhoff); (3) Standardization of biodegradable lubricants - CEN/DIN standard committees - state of the art (Rolf Luther); (4) Market research for the utilization of biodegradable lubricants and means of proof of sustainability (Norbert Schmitz); (5) Fields of application for high performance lubricants and requirements upon the products (Gunther Kraft); (6) Investigations of biodegradable lubricants in rolling bearings and gears (Christoph Hentschke); (7) Biodegradable lubricants in central lubrication systems Development of gears and bearings of offshore wind power installations (Reiner Wagner); (8) Investigations towards environmental compatibility of biodegradable lubricants used in offshore wind power installations (Tolf Schneider); (9) Development of glycerine based lubricants for the industrial metalworking (Harald Draeger); (10) Investigations and utilization of biodegradable oils as electroinsulation oils in transformers (Stefan Tenbohlen); (11) Operational behaviour of lubricant oils in vegetable oil operation and Biodiesel operation (Horst Hamdorf); (12) Lubrication effect of lubricating oil of the third generation (Stefan Heitzig); (13) Actual market development from the view of a producer of biodegradable lubricants (Frank Lewen); (14) Utilization of biodegradable lubricants in forestry harvesters (Guenther Weise); (15) New biodegradable lubricants based on high oleic sunflower oil (Otto Botz); (16) Integrated fluid concept - optimized technology and service package for users of biodegradable lubricants (Juergen Baer); (17) Utilization of a bio oil sensor to control

[Bone remodeling and modeling/mini-modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Tomoka; Amizuka, Norio

Modeling, adapting structures to loading by changing bone size and shapes, often takes place in bone of the fetal and developmental stages, while bone remodeling-replacement of old bone into new bone-is predominant in the adult stage. Modeling can be divided into macro-modeling(macroscopic modeling)and mini-modeling(microscopic modeling). In the cellular process of mini-modeling, unlike bone remodeling, bone lining cells, i.e., resting flattened osteoblasts covering bone surfaces will become active form of osteoblasts, and then, deposit new bone onto the old bone without mediating osteoclastic bone resorption. Among the drugs for osteoporotic treatment, eldecalcitol(a vitamin D3 analog)and teriparatide(human PTH[1-34])could show mini-modeling based bone formation. Histologically, mature, active form of osteoblasts are localized on the new bone induced by mini-modeling, however, only a few cell layer of preosteoblasts are formed over the newly-formed bone, and accordingly, few osteoclasts are present in the region of mini-modeling. In this review, histological characteristics of bone remodeling and modeling including mini-modeling will be introduced.

The MiniBooNE Detector

OpenAIRE

MiniBooNE Collaboration

2008-01-01

The MiniBooNE neutrino detector was designed and built to look for muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino oscillations in the mixing parameter space region where the LSND experiment reported a signal. The MiniBooNE experiment used a beam energy and baseline that were an order of magnitude larger than those of LSND so that the backgrounds and systematic errors would be completely different. This paper provides a detailed description of the design, function, and performance of the MiniBooNE detector.

A DNA mini-barcode for land plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Damon P

2014-05-01

Small portions of the barcode region - mini-barcodes - may be used in place of full-length barcodes to overcome DNA degradation for samples with poor DNA preservation. 591,491,286 rbcL mini-barcode primer combinations were electronically evaluated for PCR universality, and two novel highly universal sets of priming sites were identified. Novel and published rbcL mini-barcode primers were evaluated for PCR amplification [determined with a validated electronic simulation (n = 2765) and empirically (n = 188)], Sanger sequence quality [determined empirically (n = 188)], and taxonomic discrimination [determined empirically (n = 30,472)]. PCR amplification for all mini-barcodes, as estimated by validated electronic simulation, was successful for 90.2-99.8% of species. Overall Sanger sequence quality for mini-barcodes was very low - the best mini-barcode tested produced sequences of adequate quality (B20 ≥ 0.5) for 74.5% of samples. The majority of mini-barcodes provide correct identifications of families in excess of 70.1% of the time. Discriminatory power noticeably decreased at lower taxonomic levels. At the species level, the discriminatory power of the best mini-barcode was less than 38.2%. For samples believed to contain DNA from only one species, an investigator should attempt to sequence, in decreasing order of utility and probability of success, mini-barcodes F (rbcL1/rbcLB), D (F52/R193) and K (F517/R604). For samples believed to contain DNA from more than one species, an investigator should amplify and sequence mini-barcode D (F52/R193). © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF A BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL UNDER ANAEROBIC - THERMOPHILIC DIGESTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICARDO CAMACHO-MUÑOZ

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper dertermined the anaerobic biodegradation of a polymer obtained by extrusion process of native cassava starch, polylactic acid and polycaprolactone. Initially a thermophilic - methanogenic inoculum was prepared from urban solid waste. The gas final methane concentration and medium’s pH reached values of 59,6% and 7,89 respectively. The assay assembly was carried out according ASTM D5511 standard. The biodegradation percent of used materials after 15 day of digestion were: 77,49%, 61,27%, 0,31% for cellulose, sample and polyethylene respectively. Due cellulose showed biodegradation levels higher than 70% it’s deduced that the inoculum conditions were appropriate. A biodegradation level of 61,27%, 59,35% of methane concentration in sample’s evolved gas and a medium’s finale pH of 7,71 in sample’s vessels, reveal the extruded polymer´s capacity to be anaerobically degraded under thermophilic- high solid concentration conditions.

External validation of structure-biodegradation relationship (SBR) models for predicting the biodegradability of xenobiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Devillers, J; Pandard, P; Richard, B

2013-01-01

Biodegradation is an important mechanism for eliminating xenobiotics by biotransforming them into simple organic and inorganic products. Faced with the ever growing number of chemicals available on the market, structure-biodegradation relationship (SBR) and quantitative structure-biodegradation relationship (QSBR) models are increasingly used as surrogates of the biodegradation tests. Such models have great potential for a quick and cheap estimation of the biodegradation potential of chemicals. The Estimation Programs Interface (EPI) Suite™ includes different models for predicting the potential aerobic biodegradability of organic substances. They are based on different endpoints, methodologies and/or statistical approaches. Among them, Biowin 5 and 6 appeared the most robust, being derived from the largest biodegradation database with results obtained only from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) test. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive performances of these two models from a set of 356 chemicals extracted from notification dossiers including compatible biodegradation data. Another set of molecules with no more than four carbon atoms and substituted by various heteroatoms and/or functional groups was also embodied in the validation exercise. Comparisons were made with the predictions obtained with START (Structural Alerts for Reactivity in Toxtree). Biowin 5 and Biowin 6 gave satisfactorily prediction results except for the prediction of readily degradable chemicals. A consensus model built with Biowin 1 allowed the diminution of this tendency.

The MiniBooNE detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar-Arevalo, A.A.; Anderson, C.E.; Bartoszek, L.M.; Bazarko, A.O.; Brice, S.J.; Brown, B.C.; Bugel, L.; Cao, J.; Coney, L.; Conrad, J.M.; Cox, D.C.; Curioni, A.; Djurcic, Z.; Finley, D.A.; Fleming, B.T.; Ford, R.; Garcia, F.G.; Garvey, G.T.; Green, C.; Green, J.A.

2009-01-01

The MiniBooNE neutrino detector was designed and built to look for ν μ →ν e oscillations in the (sin 2 2θ,Δm 2 ) parameter space region where the LSND experiment reported a signal. The MiniBooNE experiment used a beam energy and baseline that were an order of magnitude larger than those of LSND so that the backgrounds and systematic errors would be completely different. This paper provides a detailed description of the design, function, and performance of the MiniBooNE detector.

Are Ducted Mini-Splits Worth It?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winkler, Jonathan M [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Maguire, Jeffrey B [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Metzger, Cheryn E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Zhang, Jason [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

2018-02-01

Ducted mini-split heat pumps are gaining popularity in some regions of the country due to their energy-efficient specifications and their ability to be hidden from sight. Although product and install costs are typically higher than the ductless mini-split heat pumps, this technology is well worth the premium for some homeowners who do not like to see an indoor unit in their living area. Due to the interest in this technology by local utilities and homeowners, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has funded the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop capabilities within the Building Energy Optimization (BEopt) tool to model ducted mini-split heat pumps. After the fundamental capabilities were added, energy-use results could be compared to other technologies that were already in BEopt, such as zonal electric resistance heat, central air source heat pumps, and ductless mini-split heat pumps. Each of these technologies was then compared using five prototype configurations in three different BPA heating zones to determine how the ducted mini-split technology would perform under different scenarios. The result of this project was a set of EnergyPlus models representing the various prototype configurations in each climate zone. Overall, the ducted mini-split heat pumps saved about 33-60% compared to zonal electric resistance heat (with window AC systems modeled in the summer). The results also showed that the ducted mini-split systems used about 4% more energy than the ductless mini-split systems, which saved about 37-64% compared to electric zonal heat (depending on the prototype and climate).

Biodegradation of selected offshore chemicals

OpenAIRE

Wennberg, Aina C.; Petersen, Karina

2017-01-01

A review of biodegradation data for specific oil field chemicals and chemical groups were performed in order to evaluate if the current categorisation of these were appropriate based on the biodegradation properties. Data were compiled from databases like ECHA and MITI and from the literature. For compounds with limited or inconclusive test data, biodegradation was also estimated by the BIOWIN models, and the EAWAG-BBD pathway prediction system was used to predict plausible biodegradation pat...

Comparative study on the biodegradation and biocompatibility of silicate bioceramic coatings on biodegradable magnesium alloy as biodegradable biomaterial

Science.gov (United States)

Razavi, M.; Fathi, M. H.; Savabi, O.; Razavi, S. M.; Hashemibeni, B.; Yazdimamaghani, M.; Vashaee, D.; Tayebi, L.

2014-03-01

Many clinical cases as well as in vivo and in vitro assessments have demonstrated that magnesium alloys possess good biocompatibility. Unfortunately, magnesium and its alloys degrade too quickly in physiological media. In order to improve the biodegradation resistance and biocompatibility of a biodegradable magnesium alloy, we have prepared three types of coating include diopside (CaMgSi2O6), akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O6) and bredigite (Ca7MgSi4O16) coating on AZ91 magnesium alloy through a micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. In this research, the biodegradation and biocompatibility behavior of samples were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro analysis was performed by cytocompatibility and MTT-assay and the in vivo test was conducted on the implantation of samples in the greater trochanter of adult rabbits. The results showed that diopside coating has the best bone regeneration and bredigite has the best biodegradation resistance compared to others.

Design guidelines for mini-roundabouts

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Emslie, I

1997-03-01

Full Text Available Guidelines for Traffic Calming. Concepts and principles relating to the use of mini-roundabouts as a form of intersection control and in the traffic calming context are discussed. Warrants for the implementation of mini-roundabouts and design standards...

MiniBooNE Oscillation Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djurcic, Zelimir

2009-01-01

These proceedings summarize the MiniBooNE ν μ → ν e results, describe the first (bar ν) μ → (bar ν) e result, and current analysis effort with the NuMI neutrinos detected in the miniBooNE detector

Microbial enhanced heavy crude oil recovery through biodegradation using bacterial isolates from an Omani oil field.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sayegh, Abdullah; Al-Wahaibi, Yahya; Al-Bahry, Saif; Elshafie, Abdulkadir; Al-Bemani, Ali; Joshi, Sanket

2015-09-16

Biodegradation is a cheap and environmentally friendly process that could breakdown and utilizes heavy crude oil (HCO) resources. Numerous bacteria are able to grow using hydrocarbons as a carbon source; however, bacteria that are able to grow using HCO hydrocarbons are limited. In this study, HCO degrading bacteria were isolated from an Omani heavy crude oil field. They were then identified and assessed for their biodegradation and biotransformation abilities under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bacteria were grown in five different minimum salts media. The isolates were identified by MALDI biotyper and 16S rRNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank (NCBI) database. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis. To assess microbial growth and biodegradation of HCO by well-assay on agar plates, samples were collected at different intervals. The HCO biodegradation and biotransformation were determined using GC-FID, which showed direct correlation of microbial growth with an increased biotransformation of light hydrocarbons (C12 and C14). Among the isolates, B. licheniformis AS5 was the most efficient isolate in biodegradation and biotransformation of the HCO. Therefore, isolate AS5 was used for heavy crude oil recovery experiments, in core flooding experiments using Berea core plugs, where an additional 16 % of oil initially in place was recovered. This is the first report from Oman for bacteria isolated from an oil field that were able to degrade and transform HCO to lighter components, illustrating the potential use in HCO recovery. The data suggested that biodegradation and biotransformation processes may lead to additional oil recovery from heavy oil fields, if bacteria are grown in suitable medium under optimum growth conditions.

Use Of Biodegradation Ratios In Monitoring Trend Of Biostimulated Biodegradation In Crude Oil Polluted Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okorondu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This study deals with biodegradation experiment on soil contaminated with crude oil. The soil sample sets A BC D E F G were amended with inorganic fertilizer to enhance microbial growth and hydrocarbon degradation moisture content of some of the sets were as well varied. Biodegradation ratios nC17Pr nC18Ph and nC17nC18PrPh were used to monitor biodegradation of soil sets A BC D E F G for a period of 180. The soil samples were each contaminated with the same amount of crude oil and exposed to specific substrate treatment regarding the amount of nutrients and water content over the same period of time. The trend in biodegradation of the different soil sample sets shows that biodegradation ratio nC17nC18PrPh was more reflective of and explains the biodegradation trend in all the sample sets throughout the period of the experiment hence a better parameter ratio for monitoring trend of biostimulated biodegradation. The order of preference of the biodegradation ratios is expressed as nC18Ph nC17Pr nC17nC18 PrPh. This can be a relevant support tool when designing bioremediation plan on field.

Phthalates biodegradation in the environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Da-Wei; Zhang, Tong; Fang, Herbert H P; He, Jianzhong

2008-08-01

Phthalates are synthesized in massive amounts to produce various plastics and have become widespread in environments following their release as a result of extensive usage and production. This has been of an environmental concern because phthalates are hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic by nature. Numerous studies indicated that phthalates can be degraded by bacteria and fungi under aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic conditions. This paper gives a review on the biodegradation of phthalates and includes the following aspects: (1) the relationship between the chemical structure of phthalates and their biodegradability, (2) the biodegradation of phthalates by pure/mixed cultures, (3) the biodegradation of phthalates under various environments, and (4) the biodegradation pathways of phthalates.

A review of plastic waste biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Ying; Yanful, Ernest K; Bassi, Amarjeet S

2005-01-01

With more and more plastics being employed in human lives and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. This review looks at the technological advancement made in the development of more easily biodegradable plastics and the biodegradation of conventional plastics by microorganisms. Additives, such as pro-oxidants and starch, are applied in synthetic materials to modify and make plastics biodegradable. Recent research has shown that thermoplastics derived from polyolefins, traditionally considered resistant to biodegradation in ambient environment, are biodegraded following photo-degradation and chemical degradation. Thermoset plastics, such as aliphatic polyester and polyester polyurethane, are easily attacked by microorganisms directly because of the potential hydrolytic cleavage of ester or urethane bonds in their structures. Some microorganisms have been isolated to utilize polyurethane as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen source. Aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have active commercial applications because of their good mechanical properties and biodegradability. Reviewing published and ongoing studies on plastic biodegradation, this paper attempts to make conclusions on potentially viable methods to reduce impacts of plastic waste on the environment.

Diagnostic validity Polish language version of the questionnaire MINI-KID (Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview for Children and Adolescent).

Science.gov (United States)

Adamowska, Sylwia; Sylwia, Adamowska; Adamowski, Tomasz; Tomasz, Adamowski; Frydecka, Dorota; Dorota, Frydecka; Kiejna, Andrzej; Andrzej, Kiejna

2014-10-01

Since over forty years structuralized interviews for clinical and epidemiological research in child and adolescent psychiatry are being developed that should increase validity and reliability of diagnoses according to classification systems (DSM and ICD). The aim of the study is to assess the validity of the Polish version of MINI-KID (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents) in comparison to clinical diagnosis made by a specialist in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. There were 140 patients included in the study (93 boys, 66.4%, mean age 11.8±3.0 and 47 girls 33.5%, mean age 14.0±2.9). All the patients were diagnosed by the specialist in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry according to ICD-10 criteria and by the independent interviewer with the Polish version of MINI-KID (version 2.0, 2001). There was higher agreement between clinical diagnoses and diagnoses based on MINI-KID interview with respect to eating disorders and externalizing disorders (κ 0.43-0.56) and lower in internalizing disorders (κ 0.13-0.45). In the clinical interview, there was smaller number of diagnostic categories (maximum 3 diagnoses per one patient) in comparison to MINI-KID (maximum 10 diagnoses per one patient), and the smaller percentage of patients with one diagnosis (65,7%) in comparison to MINI-KID interview (72%). Our study has shown satisfactory validity parameters of MINI-KID questionnaire, promoting its use for clinical and epidemiological settings. The Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview for Children and Adolescent (MINI-KID) is the first structuralized diagnostic interview for assessing mental status in children and adolescents, which has been translated into Polish language. Our validation study demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties of the questionnaire, enabling its use in clinical practice and in research projects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mini-Sniffer on Lakebed

Science.gov (United States)

1974-01-01

The original Mini-Sniffer on Rogers Dry Lake, adjacent to NASA's Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB. This version of the remotely-piloted vehicle had swept-back wings, tip rudders, nose canards, and an air breathing engine. The Mini-Sniffer was a remotely controlled, propeller-driven vehicle developed at the NASA Flight Research Center (which became the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in 1976) as a potential platform to sample the upper atmosphere for pollution. The vehicle, flown from 1975 to 1977, was one of the earliest attempts by NASA to develop an aircraft that could sense turbulence and measure natural and human-produced atmospheric pollutants at altitudes above 80,000 feet with a variable-load propeller that was never flight-tested. Three Mini-Sniffer vehicles were built. The number 1 Mini-Sniffer vehicle had swept wings with a span of 18 feet and canards on the nose. It flew 12 flights with the gas-powered engine at low altitudes of around 2,500 feet. The number 1 vehicle was then modified into version number 2 by removing the canards and wing rudders and adding wing tips and tail booms. Twenty flights were made with this version, up to altitudes of 20,000 feet. The number 3 vehicle had a longer fuselage, was lighter in weight, and was powered by the non-air-breathing hydrazine engine designed by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This version was designed to fly a 25-pound payload to an altitude of 70,000 feet for one hour or to climb to 90,000 feet and glide back. The number 3 Mini-Sniffer made one flight to 20,000 feet and was not flown again because of a hydrazine leak problem. All three versions used a pusher propeller to free the nose area for an atmospheric-sampling payload. At various times the Mini-Sniffer has been considered for exploration in the carbon dioxide atmosphere of the planet Mars, where the gravity (38 percent of that on Earth) would reduce the horsepower needed for flight.

Mini-implant-supported Molar Distalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amit Goyal

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Temporary anchorage devices popularly called mini-implants or miniscrews are the latest addition to an orthodontist′s armamentarium. The following case report describes the treatment of a 16-year-old girl with a pleasant profile, moderate crowding and Angle′s Class II molar relationship. Maxillary molar distalization was planned and mini-implants were used to preserve the anterior anchorage. After 13 months of treatment, Class I molar and canine relation was achieved bilaterally and there was no anterior proclination. Thus, mini-implants provide a viable option to the clinician to carry out difficult tooth movements without any side effects.

Microorganisms hydrolyse amide bonds; knowledge enabling read-across of biodegradability of fatty acid amides.

Science.gov (United States)

Geerts, Roy; Kuijer, Patrick; van Ginkel, Cornelis G; Plugge, Caroline M

2014-07-01

To get insight in the biodegradation and potential read-across of fatty acid amides, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide and N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide were used as model compounds. Two bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PK1 and Pseudomonas putida PK2 were isolated with N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide and its hydrolysis product N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, respectively. In mixed culture, both strains accomplished complete mineralization of N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide. Aeromonas hydrophila PK3 was enriched with N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide and subsequently isolated using agar plates containing dodecanoate. N-(2-Aminoethyl)piperazine, the hydrolysis product of N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide, was not degraded. The aerobic biodegradation pathway for primary and secondary fatty acid amides of P. aeruginosa and A. hydrophila involved initial hydrolysis of the amide bond producing ammonium, or amines, where the fatty acids formed were immediately metabolized. Complete mineralization of secondary fatty acid amides depended on the biodegradability of the released amine. Tertiary fatty acid amides were not transformed by P. aeruginosa or A. hydrophila. These strains were able to utilize all tested primary and secondary fatty acid amides independent of the amine structure and fatty acid. Read-across of previous reported ready biodegradability results of primary and secondary fatty acid amides is justified based on the broad substrate specificity and the initial hydrolytic attack of the two isolates PK1 and PK3.

The Individual Features Of Indonesian-Chinese Mini-Novels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Feng

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This article talks about mini-novels in the new period of Indonesian Chinese Literature. Through the overall developing trend of mini-novels’ corpuses, analyzes the individual creative features: firstly, the humor of Mo Mingmiao’s Mini-novels; secondly, the compassion of Xiao Xing’s Mini-novels; thirdly, Yuan Ni’s emotional sonata of The Lost Key-ring. By combination of themes and techniques of the three mini-novels corpuses, the article focuses on the analysis of three writers’ distinctive writing style.

Invited Article: miniTimeCube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, V. A., E-mail: vli2@hawaii.edu; Dorrill, R.; Duvall, M. J.; Koblanski, J.; Sakai, M.; Learned, J. G.; Macchiarulo, L.; Matsuno, S.; Murillo, J.; Rosen, M.; Varner, G. S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 (United States); Negrashov, S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 (United States); Department of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 (United States); Wipperfurth, S. A.; Engel, K.; McDonough, W. F. [Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States); Jocher, G. R.; Nishimura, K. [Ultralytics LLC, Arlington, Virginia 22203 (United States); Mumm, H. P. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States); Usman, S. M. [Exploratory Science and Technology Branch, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Springfield, Virginia 22150 (United States); Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030 (United States)

2016-02-15

We present the development of the miniTimeCube (mTC), a novel compact neutrino  detector. The mTC is a multipurpose detector, aiming to detect not only neutrinos but also fast/thermal neutrons. Potential applications include the counterproliferation of nuclear materials and the investigation of antineutrino short-baseline effects. The mTC is a plastic 0.2% {sup 10}B–doped scintillator (13 cm){sup 3} cube surrounded by 24 Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) photon detectors, each with an 8 × 8 anode totaling 1536 individual channels/pixels viewing the scintillator. It uses custom-made electronics modules which mount on top of the MCPs, making our detector compact and able to both distinguish different types of events and reject noise in real time. The detector is currently deployed and being tested at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research nuclear reactor (20 MW{sub th}) in Gaithersburg MD. A shield for further tests is being constructed, and calibration and upgrades are ongoing. The mTC’s improved spatiotemporal resolution will allow for determination of incident particle directions beyond previous capabilities.

Mini-Sniffer II in Flight

Science.gov (United States)

1976-01-01

This photograph shows the second Mini-Sniffer undergoing flight testing over Rogers Dry Lake in Edwards, California. This version of the Mini-Sniffer lacked the canard of the original version and had wing tips and tail booms added. The Mini-Sniffer was a remotely controlled, propeller-driven vehicle developed at the NASA Flight Research Center (which became the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in 1976) as a potential platform to sample the upper atmosphere for pollution. The vehicle, flown from 1975 to 1977, was one of the earliest attempts by NASA to develop an aircraft that could sense turbulence and measure natural and human-produced atmospheric pollutants at altitudes above 80,000 feet with a variable-load propeller that was never flight-tested. Three Mini-Sniffer vehicles were built. The number 1 Mini-Sniffer vehicle had swept wings with a span of 18 feet and canards on the nose. It flew 12 flights with the gas-powered engine at low altitudes of around 2,500 feet. The number 1 vehicle was then modified into version number 2 by removing the canards and wing rudders and adding wing tips and tail booms. Twenty flights were made with this version, up to altitudes of 20,000 feet. The number 3 vehicle had a longer fuselage, was lighter in weight, and was powered by the non-air-breathing hydrazine engine designed by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This version was designed to fly a 25-pound payload to an altitude of 70,000 feet for one hour or to climb to 90,000 feet and glide back. The number 3 Mini-Sniffer made one flight to 20,000 feet and was not flown again because of a hydrazine leak problem. All three versions used a pusher propeller to free the nose area for an atmospheric-sampling payload. At various times the Mini-Sniffer has been considered for exploration in the carbon dioxide atmosphere of the planet Mars, where the gravity (38 percent of that on Earth) would reduce the horsepower needed for flight.

External validation of EPIWIN biodegradation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Posthumus, R; Traas, T P; Peijnenburg, W J G M; Hulzebos, E M

2005-01-01

The BIOWIN biodegradation models were evaluated for their suitability for regulatory purposes. BIOWIN includes the linear and non-linear BIODEG and MITI models for estimating the probability of rapid aerobic biodegradation and an expert survey model for primary and ultimate biodegradation estimation. Experimental biodegradation data for 110 newly notified substances were compared with the estimations of the different models. The models were applied separately and in combinations to determine which model(s) showed the best performance. The results of this study were compared with the results of other validation studies and other biodegradation models. The BIOWIN models predict not-readily biodegradable substances with high accuracy in contrast to ready biodegradability. In view of the high environmental concern of persistent chemicals and in view of the large number of not-readily biodegradable chemicals compared to the readily ones, a model is preferred that gives a minimum of false positives without a corresponding high percentage false negatives. A combination of the BIOWIN models (BIOWIN2 or BIOWIN6) showed the highest predictive value for not-readily biodegradability. However, the highest score for overall predictivity with lowest percentage false predictions was achieved by applying BIOWIN3 (pass level 2.75) and BIOWIN6.

Current Status of the MiniBooNE Experiment

OpenAIRE

Ray, H.; collaboration, for the MiniBooNE

2004-01-01

MiniBooNE is an experiment designed to refute or confirm the LSND anti-nu_mu -> anti-nu_e oscillation result. MiniBooNE will look for oscillations of nu_mu -> nu_e in a closed-box appearance analysis. MiniBooNE began collecting data in 2002, and is expected to continue data taking through 2005. Current MiniBooNE results are presented.

Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baring-Gould, Ian [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Burman, Kari [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Singh, Mohit [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Esterly, Sean [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mutiso, Rose [US Department of Energy, Washington, DC (United States); McGregor, Caroline [US Department of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

2016-11-01

Providing clean and affordable energy services to the more than 1 billion people globally who lack access to electricity is a critical driver for poverty reduction, economic development, improved health, and social outcomes. More than 84% of populations without electricity are located in rural areas where traditional grid extension may not be cost-effective; therefore, distributed energy solutions such as mini-grids are critical. To address some of the root challenges of providing safe, quality, and financially viable mini-grid power systems to remote customers, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) teamed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) for isolated mini-grids. The QAF for mini-grids aims to address some root challenges of providing safe, quality, and affordable power to remote customers via financially viable mini-grids through two key components: (1) Levels of service: Defines a standard set of tiers of end-user service and links them to technical parameters of power quality, power availability, and power reliability. These levels of service span the entire energy ladder, from basic energy service to high-quality, high-reliability, and high-availability service (often considered 'grid parity'); (2) Accountability and performance reporting framework: Provides a clear process of validating power delivery by providing trusted information to customers, funders, and/or regulators. The performance reporting protocol can also serve as a robust monitoring and evaluation tool for mini-grid operators and funding organizations. The QAF will provide a flexible alternative to rigid top-down standards for mini-grids in energy access contexts, outlining tiers of end-user service and linking them to relevant technical parameters. In addition, data generated through implementation of the QAF will provide the foundation for comparisons across projects, assessment of impacts, and greater confidence that

Biodegradation of lubricant oil

African Journals Online (AJOL)

M

2012-09-25

Sep 25, 2012 ... lubricating oil, showed high biodegradation efficiency for different used lubricating oils. Capability of ..... amount after biodegradation showed no difference in the .... products polluted sites in Elele, Rivers State, Ngeria.

Model Documentation for the MiniCAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brenkert, Antoinette L.; Smith, Steven J.; Kim, Son H.; Pitcher, Hugh M.

2003-07-17

The MiniCAM, short for the Mini-Climate Assessment Model, is an integrated assessment model of moderate complexity focused on energy and agriculture sectors. The model produces emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and other radiatively important substances such as sulfur dioxide. Through incorporation of the simple climate model MAGICC, the consequences of these emissions for climate change and sea-level rise can be examined. The MiniCAM is designed to be fast and flexible.

Movimentação de molares inferiores ancorados em mini-parafusos Mandibular molar uprighting, using mini-screw as anchorage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosana Canteras Di Matteo

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Freqüentemente a movimentação ortodôntica exige recursos adicionais de ancoragem. Os mini-parafusos têm-se apresentado como uma possível solução. O propósito deste trabalho foi estabelecer um método para a verticalização de molares inferiores inclinados para mesial, utilizando ancoragem em mini-parafusos colocados na região de linha oblíqüa externa da mandíbula. Foram selecionados três pacientes entre 40 a 48 anos (dois do gênero feminino, um do gênero masculino, com molares inferiores inclinados para mesial e distalmente posicionados às áreas edêntulas. Os pacientes foram tratados ortodonticamente durante um período de 6 a 12 meses, com técnica ortodôntica MD3. Mini-parafusos de titânio foram colocados bilateralmente com anestesia local. Uma incisão sobre a linha oblíqüa externa da mandíbula, medindo aproximadamente 1 cm foi realizada em cada lado, distalmente aos molares inclinados. Após descolamento muco-periosteal, mini-parafusos foram implantados e foram realizadas suturas deixando suas cabeças exteriorizadas. Uma semana após a remoção das suturas, cargas ortodônticas (entre 150 a 200 gramas/força foram aplicadas através de forças elásticas. Verificamos que alguma inflamação foi observada ao redor dos mini-parafusos, mas foi controlada com procedimentos de higienização. O procedimento cirúrgico é simples, podendo ser realizado pelo ortodontista; as formas dimensionais dos mini-parafusos são adequadas e estes são de fácil remoção após uso. Concluímos que o uso de mini-parafusos representa uma alternativa efetiva de ancoragem ortodôntica na verticalização de molares inferiores.Tooth movement frequently requires additional anchorage resources. Mini-screws have been used as a possible solution to this matter. The purpose of this study was to establish a method of mandibular molar uprighting, using mini-screw as anchorage, positioned on the mandibular external oblique line, behind and

Slowly biodegradable organic compounds impact the biostability of non-chlorinated drinking water produced from surface water.

Science.gov (United States)

Hijnen, W A M; Schurer, R; Bahlman, J A; Ketelaars, H A M; Italiaander, R; van der Wal, A; van der Wielen, P W J J

2018-02-01

It is possible to distribute drinking water without a disinfectant residual when the treated water is biologically stable. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of easily and slowly biodegradable compounds on the biostability of the drinking water at three full-scale production plants which use the same surface water, and on the regrowth conditions in the related distribution systems. Easily biodegradable compounds in the drinking water were determined with AOC-P17/Nox during 2012-2015. Slowly biodegradable organic compounds measured as particulate and/or high-molecular organic carbon (PHMOC), were monitored at the inlet and after the different treatment stages of the three treatments during the same period. The results show that PHMOC (300-470 μg C L -1 ) was approximately 10% of the TOC in the surface water and was removed to 50-100 μg C L -1 . The PHMOC in the water consisted of 40-60% of carbohydrates and 10% of proteins. A significant and strong positive correlation was observed for PHMOC concentrations and two recently introduced bioassay methods for slowly biodegradable compounds (AOC-A3 and biomass production potential, BPC 14 ). Moreover, these three parameters in the biological active carbon effluent (BACF) of the three plants showed a positive correlation with regrowth in the drinking water distribution system, which was assessed with Aeromonas, heterotrophic plate counts, coliforms and large invertebrates. In contrast, the AOC-P17/Nox concentrations did not correlate with these regrowth parameters. We therefore conclude that slowly biodegradable compounds in the treated water from these treatment plants seem to have a greater impact on regrowth in the distribution system than easily biodegradable compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Standardization of the Korean version of Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (K-Mini-MAC) scale: factor structure, reliability and validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jee In; Chung, Hyun Cheol; Kim, Se Joo; Choi, Hye Jin; Ahn, Joong Bae; Jeung, Hei-Cheul; Namkoong, Kee

2008-06-01

Mental adjustment and coping affect the physical outcome and survival as well as quality of life in cancer patients. The Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale is a new refined, economical and reliable self-rating instrument measuring cognitive and behavioral responses to cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Mini-MAC in Korean cancer patients. A total of 208 cancer patients recruited from the Yonsei Cancer Center were assessed with the Mini-MAC and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation for the Korean version of Mini-MAC (K-Mini-MAC) confirmed four factors. Three had psychometric properties similar to Helpless-Hopeless (HH), Anxious Preoccupation (AP) and Cognitive Avoidance (CA) of the original Mini-MAC. A novel factor, named Positive Attitude, included items of both Fatalism (FA) and Fighting Spirit (FS) from the original version. The five subscales from the original version (AP, HH, FS, FA and CA) and Positive Attitude had acceptable internal reliabilities in our sample (Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.50-0.86; correlation coefficient of test-retest 0.68-0.88). For the validity, significant interscale correlation was observed in the original five subscales and Positive Attitude. Each subscale including Positive Attitude was also significantly related to Depression and Anxiety of HADS. As a whole, the K-Mini-MAC was a reliable, valid and acceptable tool for Korean cancer patients. These findings can provide information about the cross-cultural validity of Mini-MAC scale's factor structure. Cultural differences were also discussed.

AplikasiRekayasa Nilai Untuk Evaluasi Produk Mesin Compos Mini Produksi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Aziz

2010-10-01

Full Text Available A product can look like a system, which is something that still has room for consideration of revisions (evaluation. In the evaluation, value engineering is one technique that systematically by using the techniques of identification of the functions required, apply the values and develop alternatives that achieve the best functional balance between cost and performance of a system or product. In compos Mini Machine products, value engineering done to the component cost is quite high (grade A on the ABC classification. Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR is an important thing that needs to be calculated on the value engineering. The selected alternative for this article is the replacement of roofing material from metal plate to the plastic pulley with cost savings of 55%. Keywords: Value engineering, product evaluation, BCR

Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esterly, Sean; Baring-Gould, Ian; Booth, Samuel

2017-05-04

To address the root challenges of providing quality power to remote consumers through financially viable mini-grids, the Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial and the U.S. Department of Energy teamed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Power Africa to develop a Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) for isolated mini-grids. The framework addresses both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) mini-grids, and is applicable to renewable, fossil-fuel, and hybrid systems.

[Outcomes and complications of Tightrope button plate for repairing acromioclavicular dislocation].

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Yong-Xiang; Ma, Zi-Ping

2017-10-25

To study the clinical outcome and complications of Tightrope button plate for repairing acromioclavicular dislocation of Rockwood type III to V. From May 2014 to December 2016, 17 patients with acromioclavicular dislocation of type III-V were treated with Tightrope button plate including 10 males and 7 females with an average age 39.8 years old ranging from 20 to 68 years old. Four patients were treated with arthroscopy and 17 patients were treated with mini-invasive by X-ray assisted. Shoulder function, X-ray and complications after operation were assessed. All patients were followed up for 5 to 23 months with a mean of 10.8 months. All patients got satisfying reduction immediately postoperatively. Among them, 1 case of clavicle end wound foreign body reaction, rupture, effusion, healing after the second suture; 1 case of foreign body granuloma formation at the end of clavicle were resected and removed at 4 months after operation; 3 cases loss reduction(less than 50% of acromioclavicular joint). No coracoid fracture and suture breakage observed. The shoulder mobility was restored in 15 cases at 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively, and the shoulder adhesion in 2 cases was delayed to 5 to 7 months after operation. The Constant scores were improved from 46.9±6.0 preoperatively to 92.7±4.0 at the final follow-up. X-ray evaluation of postoperative coracoclavicular tunnel location, patients' coracoclavicular tunnel with mini-invasive fluoroscopy all closed to the ideal position (across the clavicle vertically through the coracoid base center), while different degree of tunnel position deviation were observed in arthroscopic patients. Tightrope button plate for the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation had advantages of minimally invasive, effective, good clinical results, the majority of common complications does not affect efficacy. Small incision X-ray method can provide more satisfactory and reliable tunnel location.

In vitro biodegradation testing of Mg-alloy EZK400 and manufacturing of implant prototypes using PM (powder metallurgy) methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, M; Luczak, M; Schaper, J G; Wiese, B; Dahms, M; Ebel, T; Willumeit-Römer, R; Klassen, T

2018-09-01

The study is focussing towards Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) of Mg-alloys for biomedical implant applications. Especially the influence of the sintering processing necessary for the consolidation of the finished part is in focus of this study. In doing so, the chosen high strength EZK400 Mg-alloy powder material was sintered using different sintering support bottom plate materials to evaluate the possibility of iron impurity pick up during sintering. It can be shown that iron pick up took place from the steel bottom plate into the specimen. Despite the fact that a separating boron nitrite (BN) barrier layer was used and the Mg-Fe phase diagram is not predicting any significant solubility to each other. As a result of this study a new bottom plate material not harming the sintering and the biodegradation performance of the as sintered material, namely a carbon plate material, was found.

Biodegradable Sonobuoy Decelerators

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

of Water Temperature and the Presence of Salt on the Disintegration Time of MonoSol A200 PVOH...polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The proposed film would disintegrate , dissolve, and eventually biodegrade to prevent long-term effects on marine life. Ensuring no...Standard Specification for Non-Floating Biodegradable Plastics in the Marine Environment. Results showed that no PHA grades were toxic to the marine

The Psychometrics of the Mini-K.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, George B; Chen, Ching-Chen; Dai, Chia-Liang; Brubaker, Michael D; Nedelec, Joseph L

2017-01-01

Many published studies have employed the Mini-K to measure a single fast-slow life history dimension. However, the internal structure of the Mini-K has not been determined and it is not clear that a single higher order K-factor fits the data. It is also not clear that the Mini-K is measurement invariant across groups such as the sexes. To establish the construct validity of K as well as the broader usefulness of applying life history theory to humans, it is crucial that these psychometric issues are addressed as a part of measure validation efforts. Here we report on three studies that used latent variable modeling and data drawn from two college student samples ( ns = 361 and 300) to elucidate the psychometrics of the Mini-K. We found that (a) the Mini-K had a six dimensional first-order structure, (b) the K-factor provided a parsimonious explanation of the associations among the lower order factors at no significant cost to fit, (c) the Mini-K measured the same K-factor across the sexes, (d) K-factor means did not have the same meaning across the sexes and thus the first-order factors should be used in studies of mean sex differences, and finally, (e) the K-factor was only associated with environment and aspects of mating competition in females. Implications and future directions for life history research are discussed.

Comparison of the long-term skeletal stability between a biodegradable and a titanium fixation system following BSSO advancement - A cohort study based on a multicenter randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bakelen, N. B.; Boermans, B. D. A.; Buijs, G. J.; Jansma, J.; Pruim, G. J.; Hoppenreijs, Th. J. M.; Bergsma, J. E.; Stegenga, B.; Bos, R. R. M.

2014-01-01

Biodegradable fixation systems could reduce or eliminate the problems associated with removal of titanium plates. A multicenter randomised controlled trial (RCT) was performed in the Netherlands from December 2006-July 2009, and originally 230 injured and orthognathic patients were included. The

Histological evaluation of different biodegradable and non-biodegradable membranes implanted subcutaneously in rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, S; Pinholt, E M; Madsen, J E

2000-01-01

Different types of biodegradable membranes have become available for guided tissue regeneration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate histologically three different biodegradable membranes (Bio-Gide, Resolut and Vicryl) and one non-biodegradable membrane (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene/e-PTFE...... that e-PTFE was well tolerated and encapsulated by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. There was capsule formation around Resolut and Vicryl and around Bio-Gide in the early phase there was a wide inflammatory zone already. e-PTFE and Vicryl were stable materials while Resolut and Bio-Gide fragmented...

Biodegradable modified Phba systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aniscenko, L.; Dzenis, M.; Erkske, D.; Tupureina, V.; Savenkova, L.; Muizniece - Braslava, S.

2004-01-01

Compositions as well as production technology of ecologically sound biodegradable multicomponent polymer systems were developed. Our objective was to design some bio plastic based composites with required mechanical properties and biodegradability intended for use as biodegradable packaging. Significant characteristics required for food packaging such as barrier properties (water and oxygen permeability) and influence of γ-radiation on the structure and changes of main characteristics of some modified PHB matrices was evaluated. It was found that barrier properties were plasticizers chemical nature and sterilization with γ-radiation dependent and were comparable with corresponding values of typical polymeric packaging films. Low γ-radiation levels (25 kGy) can be recommended as an effective sterilization method of PHB based packaging materials. Purposely designed bio plastic packaging may provide an alternative to traditional synthetic packaging materials without reducing the comfort of the end-user due to specific qualities of PHB - biodegradability, Biocompatibility and hydrophobic nature

Mini-Membrane Evaporator for Contingency Spacesuit Cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Makinen, Janice V.; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Petty, Brian; Craft, Jesse; Lynch, William; Wilkes, Robert; Vogel, Matthew

2015-01-01

The next-generation Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) is integrating a number of new technologies to improve reliability and functionality. One of these improvements is the development of the Auxiliary Cooling Loop (ACL) for contingency crewmember cooling. The ACL is a completely redundant, independent cooling system that consists of a small evaporative cooler--the Mini Membrane Evaporator (Mini-ME), independent pump, independent feedwater assembly and independent Liquid Cooling Garment (LCG). The Mini-ME utilizes the same hollow fiber technology featured in the full-sized AEMU PLSS cooling device, the Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator (SWME), but Mini-ME occupies only approximately 25% of the volume of SWME, thereby providing only the necessary crewmember cooling in a contingency situation. The ACL provides a number of benefits when compared with the current EMU PLSS contingency cooling technology, which relies upon a Secondary Oxygen Vessel; contingency crewmember cooling can be provided for a longer period of time, more contingency situations can be accounted for, no reliance on a Secondary Oxygen Vessel (SOV) for contingency cooling--thereby allowing a reduction in SOV size and pressure, and the ACL can be recharged-allowing the AEMU PLSS to be reused, even after a contingency event. The first iteration of Mini-ME was developed and tested in-house. Mini-ME is currently packaged in AEMU PLSS 2.0, where it is being tested in environments and situations that are representative of potential future Extravehicular Activities (EVA's). The second iteration of Mini-ME, known as Mini-ME2, is currently being developed to offer more heat rejection capability. The development of this contingency evaporative cooling system will contribute to a more robust and comprehensive AEMU PLSS.

MINI-THESAURUS, Energy Data Base Subject Thesaurus Generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulk, J.W.

2003-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: MINI-THESAURUS allows the user to subset into highly-specialized 'mini-thesauri' the Energy Data Base (EDB) Subject Thesaurus, which contains the standard vocabulary of indexing terms (descriptors) developed and structured by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) for the building and maintenance of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) energy information databases. This structured vocabulary reflects the scope of DOE's research, development, and technological programs and encompasses terminology derived not only from the basic sciences but also from the areas of energy, conservation, safety, environmental impact, and regulation. Entire word blocks may be copied from the primary Subject Thesaurus, from another mini-thesaurus, or both, and subsequently modified through the addition of new terms, the deletion of existing terms, and changes to the internal relationships among the word blocks within the mini-thesaurus to create a new, special-purpose thesaurus. MINI-THESAURUS also provides the ability to copy the entire Subject Thesaurus and to treat the copy as a mini-thesaurus, thus allowing one to examine the effects of major changes to the thesaurus structure without having to modify the primary, on-line Thesaurus. The copy operation also optimizes the Subject Thesaurus structure. An interactive user having update privileges for a specific mini-thesaurus and access to the TeX and PostScript proprietary software can produce the mini-thesaurus in printed publication format. Once the mini-thesaurus has been published, periodic supplements may be generated based on date of entry or change maintained by the Thesaurus software. 2 Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: The system enforces the OSTI rules for Thesaurus development

Spurious RF signals emitted by mini-UAVs

Science.gov (United States)

Schleijpen, Ric (H. M. A.); Voogt, Vincent; Zwamborn, Peter; van den Oever, Jaap

2016-10-01

This paper presents experimental work on the detection of spurious RF emissions of mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (mini-UAV). Many recent events have shown that mini-UAVs can be considered as a potential threat for civil security. For this reason the detection of mini-UAVs has become of interest to the sensor community. The detection, classification and identification chain can take advantage of different sensor technologies. Apart from the signatures used by radar and electro-optical sensor systems, the UAV also emits RF signals. These RF signatures can be split in intentional signals for communication with the operator and un-intentional RF signals emitted by the UAV. These unintentional or spurious RF emissions are very weak but could be used to discriminate potential UAV detections from false alarms. The goal of this research was to assess the potential of exploiting spurious emissions in the classification and identification chain of mini-UAVs. It was already known that spurious signals are very weak, but the focus was on the question whether the emission pattern could be correlated to the behaviour of the UAV. In this paper experimental examples of spurious RF emission for different types of mini-UAVs and their correlation with the electronic circuits in the UAVs will be shown

Current knowledge on biodegradable microspheres in drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Prajapati, Vipul D; Jani, Girish K; Kapadia, Jinita R

2015-08-01

Biodegradable microspheres have gained popularity for delivering a wide variety of molecules via various routes. These types of products have been prepared using various natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers through suitable techniques for desired delivery of various challenging molecules. Selection of biodegradable polymers and technique play a key role in desired drug delivery. This review describes an overview of the fundamental knowledge and status of biodegradable microspheres in effective delivery of various molecules via desired routes with consideration of outlines of various compendial and non-compendial biodegradable polymers, formulation techniques and release mechanism of microspheres, patents and commercial biodegradable microspheres. There are various advantages of using biodegradable polymers including promise of development with different types of molecules. Biocompatibility, low dosage and reduced side effects are some reasons why usage biodegradable microspheres have gained in popularity. Selection of biodegradable polymers and formulation techniques to create microspheres is the biggest challenge in research. In the near future, biodegradable microspheres will become the eco-friendly product for drug delivery of various genes, hormones, proteins and peptides at specific site of body for desired periods of time.

Mini-Sniffer III on Lakebed

Science.gov (United States)

1976-01-01

The third remotely-piloted Mini-Sniffer research vehicle rests on the lakebed adjacent to the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. This view shows the wing shape, hydrazine engine, and the tail booms. The Mini-Sniffer was a remotely controlled, propeller-driven vehicle developed at the NASA Flight Research Center (which became the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in 1976) as a potential platform to sample the upper atmosphere for pollution. The vehicle, flown from 1975 to 1977, was one of the earliest attempts by NASA to develop an aircraft that could sense turbulence and measure natural and human-produced atmospheric pollutants at altitudes above 80,000 feet with a variable-load propeller that was never flight-tested. Three Mini-Sniffer vehicles were built. The number 1 Mini-Sniffer vehicle had swept wings with a span of 18 feet and canards on the nose. It flew 12 flights with the gas-powered engine at low altitudes of around 2,500 feet. The number 1 vehicle was then modified into version number 2 by removing the canards and wing rudders and adding wing tips and tail booms. Twenty flights were made with this version, up to altitudes of 20,000 feet. The number 3 vehicle had a longer fuselage, was lighter in weight, and was powered by the non-air-breathing hydrazine engine designed by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This version was designed to fly a 25-pound payload to an altitude of 70,000 feet for one hour or to climb to 90,000 feet and glide back. The number 3 Mini-Sniffer made one flight to 20,000 feet and was not flown again because of a hydrazine leak problem. All three versions used a pusher propeller to free the nose area for an atmospheric-sampling payload. At various times the Mini-Sniffer has been considered for exploration in the carbon dioxide atmosphere of the planet Mars, where the gravity (38 percent of that on Earth) would reduce the horsepower needed for flight.

Feasibility of mini-tablets as a flexible drug delivery tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Biplob; Chang, Jessica; Wu, Sy-Juen; Wolfe, Chad N; Ternik, Robert L; Gunter, Thomas Z; Victor, Michael C

2017-06-15

Mini-tablets have potential applications as a flexible drug delivery tool in addition to their generally perceived use as multi-particulates. That is, mini-tablets could provide flexibility in dose finding studies and/or allow for combination therapies in the clinic. Moreover, mini-tablets with well controlled quality attributes could be a prudent choice for administering solid dosage forms as a single unit or composite of multiple mini-tablets in patient populations with swallowing difficulties (e.g., pediatric and geriatric populations). This work demonstrated drug substance particle size and concentration ranges that achieve acceptable mini-tablet quality attributes for use as a single or composite dosage unit. Immediate release and orally disintegrating mini-tablet formulations with 30μm to 350μm (particle size d 90 ) acetaminophen and Compap™ L (90% acetaminophen) at concentrations equivalent to 6.7% and 26.7% acetaminophen were evaluated. Mini-tablets achieved acceptable weight variability, tensile strength, friability, and disintegration time at a reasonable solid fraction for each formulation. The content uniformity was acceptable for mini-tablets of 6.7% formulations with ≤170μm drug substance, mini-tablets of all 26.7% formulations, and composite dosage units containing five or more mini-tablets of any formulation. Results supported the manufacturing feasibility of quality mini-tablets, and their applicability as a flexible drug delivery tool. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical interpretation of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) for biodegradation of N-heterocycles: a complementary approach to predict biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Philipp, Bodo; Hoff, Malte; Germa, Florence; Schink, Bernhard; Beimborn, Dieter; Mersch-Sundermann, Volker

2007-02-15

Prediction of the biodegradability of organic compounds is an ecologically desirable and economically feasible tool for estimating the environmental fate of chemicals. We combined quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) with the systematic collection of biochemical knowledge to establish rules for the prediction of aerobic biodegradation of N-heterocycles. Validated biodegradation data of 194 N-heterocyclic compounds were analyzed using the MULTICASE-method which delivered two QSAR models based on 17 activating (OSAR 1) and on 16 inactivating molecular fragments (GSAR 2), which were statistically significantly linked to efficient or poor biodegradability, respectively. The percentages of correct classifications were over 99% for both models, and cross-validation resulted in 67.9% (GSAR 1) and 70.4% (OSAR 2) correct predictions. Biochemical interpretation of the activating and inactivating characteristics of the molecular fragments delivered plausible mechanistic interpretations and enabled us to establish the following biodegradation rules: (1) Target sites for amidohydrolases and for cytochrome P450 monooxygenases enhance biodegradation of nonaromatic N-heterocycles. (2) Target sites for molybdenum hydroxylases enhance biodegradation of aromatic N-heterocycles. (3) Target sites for hydratation by an urocanase-like mechanism enhance biodegradation of imidazoles. Our complementary approach represents a feasible strategy for generating concrete rules for the prediction of biodegradability of organic compounds.

EFFECTS OF STIMULATOR SUBSTANCES ON AEROBIC METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER BIODEGRADATION BY MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Farrokhi ، S. Ahmadizad

2009-04-01

Full Text Available In this study dissolved humic substances and yeast extract were tested in different concentrations for enhancing methyl tert-butyl ether mineralization by isolated microorganisms from a variety of sources. All experiments were conducted at a constant temperature of 25ºC. Vials of 50 mL and 125 mL volume sealed with Teflon-lined Mini-Nert caps was used for microcosm experiments. In all experiments 1% sodium azide were used as control. Samples of bacterial cultures that metabolize methyl tert-butyl ether have been analysed by direct GC analysis using flame ionization detector. Cultures able to metabolize have been found in activated sludge and soils. These microorganisms weregram-positive bacterium. An aerobic microbial consortium was enriched in laboratory for four months. Methyl tert-butyl ether has been shown to biodegrade under aerobic and co-metabolic conditions. A microbial consortium isolated from activated sludges was identified as Cocobacillus. The concentration of the initial attached biomass was about 0.11 g/L of dry weight. The maximum mineralization rate and beneficial effects of stimulator substances on aerobic biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether occurred with the culture by combined concentrations of 500 mg/L of yeast extract and 20 mg/L of peat humic growth support of microbial consortium within 216 h and in presence of high oxygen levels and well mixing conditions. It was shown that adding, peat humic and yeast extract together, had better stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether biodegradation. Results clearly showed a stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether consumption higher than 20%. Consortium was capable of degrading concentrations of ≤1000 mg/L, whereas concentrations of >1000 mg/L, were not degraded.

Sterile Neutrino Searches in MiniBooNE and MicroBooNE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ignarra, Christina M. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2014-09-01

Tension among recent short baseline neutrino experiments has pointed toward the possible need for the addition of one or more sterile (non-interacting) neutrino states into the existing neutrino oscillation framework. This thesis first presents the motivation for sterile neutrino models by describing the short-baseline anomalies that can be addressed with them. This is followed by a discussion of the phenomenology of these models. The MiniBooNE experiment and results are then described in detail, particularly the most recent antineutrino analysis. This will be followed by a discussion of global fits to world data, including the anomalous data sets. Lastly, future experiments will be addressed, especially focusing on the MicroBooNE experiment and light collection studies. In particular, understanding the degradation source of TPB, designing the TPB-coated plates for MicroBooNE and developing lightguide collection systems will be discussed. We find an excess of events in the MiniBooNE antineutrino mode results consistent with the LSND anomaly, but one that has a different energy dependence than the low-energy excess reported in neutrino mode. This disagreement creates tension within global fits which include up to three sterile neutrinos. The low-energy excess will be addressed by the MicroBooNE experiment, which is expected to start taking data in early 2015. Tension among existing experiments calls for additional, more decisive future experiments.

Sterile Neutrino Searches in MiniBooNE and MicroBooNE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ignarra, Christina M. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2014-09-01

Tension among recent short baseline neutrino experiments has pointed toward the possible need for the addition of one or more sterile (non-interacting) neutrino states into the existing neutrino oscillation framework. This thesis fi rst presents the motivation for sterile neutrino models by describing the short-baseline anomalies that can be addressed with them. This is followed by a discussion of the phenomenology of these models. The MiniBooNE experiment and results are then described in detail, particularly the most recent antineutrino analysis. This will be followed by a discussion of global fits to world data, including the anomalous data sets. Lastly, future experiments will be addressed, especially focusing on the MicroBooNE experiment and light collection studies. In particular, understanding the degradation source of TPB, designing the TPB-coated plates for MicroBooNE and developing lightguide collection systems will be discussed. We find an excess of events in the MiniBooNE antineutrino mode results consistent with the LSND anomaly, but one that has a di fferent energy dependence than the low-energy excess reported in neutrino mode. This disagreement creates tension within global fi ts which include up to three sterile neutrinos. The low-energy excess will be addressed by the MicroBooNE experiment, which is expected to start taking data in early 2015. Tension among existing experiments calls for additional, more decisive future experiments.

Research of the biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable plastic material in various types of environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Adamcová

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Research was carried out in order to assess biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive or made of polyethylene (PE with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive, advertised as 100% degradable or certifi ed as compostable within various types of environments. Research conditions were: (i controlled composting environment – laboratory-scale, (ii real composting conditions – domestic compost bin, (iii real composting conditions – industrial composting plant and (iv landfill conditions. The results demonstrate that the materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive or made of polyethylene (PE with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive or advertised as 100% degradable did not biodegrade in any of the above-described conditions and remained completely intact at the end of the tests. Biodegradation of the certified compostable plastic bags proceeded very well in laboratory-scale conditions and in real composting conditions – industrial composting plant, however, these materials did not biodegrade in real composting conditions – domestic compost bin and landfill conditions.

Biodegradation of bioplastics in natural environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Emadian, S Mehdi; Onay, Turgut T; Demirel, Burak

2017-01-01

The extensive production of conventional plastics and their use in different commercial applications poses a significant threat to both the fossil fuels sources and the environment. Alternatives called bioplastics evolved during development of renewable resources. Utilizing renewable resources like agricultural wastes (instead of petroleum sources) and their biodegradability in different environments enabled these polymers to be more easily acceptable than the conventional plastics. The biodegradability of bioplastics is highly affected by their physical and chemical structure. On the other hand, the environment in which they are located, plays a crucial role in their biodegradation. This review highlights the recent findings attributed to the biodegradation of bioplastics in various environments, environmental conditions, degree of biodegradation, including the identified bioplastic-degrading microorganisms from different microbial communities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mini-marathon groups: psychological "first aid" following disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Terr, L C

1992-01-01

Large group counseling sessions for soldiers following battle have been commonly used since World War II. The author conceptualizes and demonstrates how these mini-marathon sessions can be adapted to support all ages and types of civilians involved in disasters. Mini-marathons take about 3 hours and are divided into three sections: story sharing, symptom sharing, and suggestions for self-help, including sharing tales of heroism and survival. After an initial mini-marathon session, a second session may be held emphasizing creativity. The author also describes how mini-marathons can be adapted for therapists who will lead their own sessions.

The use of mini-samples in palaeomagnetism

Science.gov (United States)

Böhnel, Harald; Michalk, Daniel; Nowaczyk, Norbert; Naranjo, Gildardo Gonzalez

2009-10-01

Rock cores of ~25 mm diameter are widely used in palaeomagnetism. Occasionally smaller diameters have been used as well which represents distinct advantages in terms of throughput, weight of equipment and core collections. How their orientation precision compares to 25 mm cores, however, has not been evaluated in detail before. Here we compare the site mean directions and their statistical parameters for 12 lava flows sampled with 25 mm cores (standard samples, typically 8 cores per site) and with 12 mm drill cores (mini-samples, typically 14 cores per site). The site-mean directions for both sample sizes appear to be indistinguishable in most cases. For the mini-samples, site dispersion parameters k on average are slightly lower than for the standard samples reflecting their larger orienting and measurement errors. Applying the Wilcoxon signed-rank test the probability that k or α95 have the same distribution for both sizes is acceptable only at the 17.4 or 66.3 per cent level, respectively. The larger mini-core numbers per site appears to outweigh the lower k values yielding also slightly smaller confidence limits α95. Further, both k and α95 are less variable for mini-samples than for standard size samples. This is interpreted also to result from the larger number of mini-samples per site, which better averages out the detrimental effect of undetected abnormal remanence directions. Sampling of volcanic rocks with mini-samples therefore does not present a disadvantage in terms of the overall obtainable uncertainty of site mean directions. Apart from this, mini-samples do present clear advantages during the field work, as about twice the number of drill cores can be recovered compared to 25 mm cores, and the sampled rock unit is then more widely covered, which reduces the contribution of natural random errors produced, for example, by fractures, cooling joints, and palaeofield inhomogeneities. Mini-samples may be processed faster in the laboratory, which is of

Biodegradation of flax fiber reinforced poly lactic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Woven and nonwoven flax fiber reinforced poly lactic acid (PLA biocomposites were prepared with amphiphilic additives as accelerator for biodegradation. The prepared composites were buried in farmland soil for biodegradability studies. Loss in weight of the biodegraded composite samples was determined at different time intervals. The surface morphology of the biodegraded composites was studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM. Results indicated that in presence of mandelic acid, the composites showed accelerated biodegradation with 20–25% loss in weight after 50–60 days. On the other hand, in presence of dicumyl peroxide (as additive, biodegradation of the composites was relatively slow as confirmed by only 5–10% loss in weight even after 80–90 days. This was further confirmed by surface morphology of the biodegraded composites. We have attempted to show that depending on the end uses, we can add different amphiphilic additives for delayed or accelerated biodegradability. This work gives us the idea of biodegradation of materials from natural fiber reinforced PLA composites when discarded carelessly in the environment instead of proper waste disposal site.

Biodegradable micromechanical sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Stephan Sylvest; Greve, Anders; Schmid, Silvan

of mechanical and thermal properties of polymers. For example, measurements of the resonance frequency of cantilevers were used to characterize thin polymer coatings in various environmental conditions [2]. Also, the influence of humidity on the Young’s modulus of SU-8 was evaluated [3]. However, introduction...... (NIL). Second, we used spray-coating to deposit thin biodegradable films on microcantilevers. Both approaches allowed the determination of the Young’s modulus of the biopolymer. Furthermore, biodegradation by enzymes was investigated....

Systemic approaches to biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo, Almudena; Valencia, Alfonso; Cases, Ildefonso

2009-01-01

Biodegradation, the ability of microorganisms to remove complex chemicals from the environment, is a multifaceted process in which many biotic and abiotic factors are implicated. The recent accumulation of knowledge about the biochemistry and genetics of the biodegradation process, and its categorization and formalization in structured databases, has recently opened the door to systems biology approaches, where the interactions of the involved parts are the main subject of study, and the system is analysed as a whole. The global analysis of the biodegradation metabolic network is beginning to produce knowledge about its structure, behaviour and evolution, such as its free-scale structure or its intrinsic robustness. Moreover, these approaches are also developing into useful tools such as predictors for compounds' degradability or the assisted design of artificial pathways. However, it is the environmental application of high-throughput technologies from the genomics, metagenomics, proteomics and metabolomics that harbours the most promising opportunities to understand the biodegradation process, and at the same time poses tremendous challenges from the data management and data mining point of view.

Biodegradation performance of environmentally-friendly insulating oil

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun; He, Yan; Cai, Shengwei; Chen, Cheng; Wen, Gang; Wang, Feipeng; Fan, Fan; Wan, Chunxiang; Wu, Liya; Liu, Ruitong

2018-02-01

In this paper, biodegradation performance of rapeseed insulating oil (RDB) and FR3 insulating oil (FR3) was studied by means of ready biodegradation method which was performed with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 301B. For comparison, the biodegradation behaviour of 25# mineral insulating oil was also characterized with the same method. The testing results shown that the biodegradation degree of rapeseed insulating oil, FR3 insulating oil and 25# mineral insulating oil was 95.8%, 98.9% and 38.4% respectively. Following the “new chemical risk assessment guidelines” (HJ/T 154 - 2004), which illustrates the methods used to identify and assess the process safety hazards inherent. The guidelines can draw that the two vegetable insulating oils, i.e. rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil are easily biodegradable. Therefore, the both can be classified as environmentally-friendly insulating oil. As expected, 25# mineral insulating oil is hardly biodegradable. The main reason is that 25# mineral insulating oil consists of isoalkanes, cyclanes and a few arenes, which has few unsaturated bonds. Biodegradation of rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil also remain some difference. Biodegradation mechanism of vegetable insulating oil was revealed from the perspective of hydrolysis kinetics.

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dentz, Jordan [ARIES Collaborative, New York, NY (United States); Podorson, David [ARIES Collaborative, New York, NY (United States); Varshney, Kapil [ARIES Collaborative, New York, NY (United States)

2014-05-01

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programs are discussed in detail.

Development of mini-LIA and primary experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Cheng; Liao Shuqing; Zheng Shuxin; Lin Yuzheng; Tang Chuanxiang; Jing Xiaobing; Mu Fan; Pan Haifeng; Zhang Kaizhi; Shi Jinshui; Deng Jianjun

2009-01-01

Mini-LIA is a miniature of a linear induction accelerator developed by China Academy of Engineering Physics and Tsinghua University in 2007. It has been constructed with a thermionic cathode in an electron injector and a metglas core in the induction accelerator cavities. A double-pulsed electron beam was produced for the first time in China on the Mini-LIA with a thermionic cathode in the electron gun and a metglas core in the induction accelerator cavities. A double-pulsed beam current of more than 1.1A was obtained on condition of 80 kV double-pulsed high voltage produced by pulsed power system supplying to the injector and accelerating modules. Some primary experiments for measuring the parameters of Mini-LIA has been performed, and some beam characterizations of Mini-LIA are presented. Further improvement is underway. (authors)

BIODEGRADATION POTENTIALS OF AUTOMOBILE WORKSHOP SOIL MYCOFLORA ON FLOW STATION PETROLEUM SLUDGE WITH AN EXTRA CARBON SOURCE

OpenAIRE

Nosa Omoregbe Obayagbona; Onaiwu Idahosa Enabulele

2013-01-01

The biodegradation potentials of soil mycobiota isolated from six auto mechanic workshops and a farmland in Benin City on flow station crude oil sludge was investigated. Serial dilution and pour plate methods were utilized in the isolation and enumeration of the fungal bioload of the soil samples. The heterotrophic fungal counts ranged from 0.2×103 cfu/g to 3.2×103 cfu/g .Twenty (20) fungal species were identified from the soil samples; Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus fum...

Four Channel Mini Wire Chamber to Study Cosmic Rays

Science.gov (United States)

Felix, J.; Rodriguez, G. J.

2018-01-01

Multiwire proportional chamber is a conventional technique to study radiation in general, and cosmic rays in particular. To study cosmic rays, it was planned, designed, constructed, characterized, and tested a four channel mini wire chamber, based on two 3 cm × 3 cm × 0.6 cm Aluminum frames, two 3 cm × 3 cm × 0.6 cm plastic frames, two 3 cm × 3 cm × 0.3 cm Aluminum frames, two electronic planes each with two Tungsten Gold plated 1 mil diameter wires, parallel and 1 cm apart each other at 25 g stretched-each plane was 90° rotated each other in the final assemble- and two Aluminum foil window to define the gas volume; it was operated with Argon 90%-CH4 10% gas mixture at 1 atmosphere and ambient temperature (20°C in the average). It is presented technical details, results on characterization, and preliminary results on cosmic rays detection.

FY 2000 report on the results of the regional consortium R and D project - Regional consortium field. Second year report. Development of the technology to combine plastic and metal using biodegradable natural polymer; 2000 nendo chiiki consortium kenkyu kaihatsu jigyo - chiiki consortium bun'ya. Seibunkaisei tennen plastic to kinzoku no fukugoka gijutsu no kaihatsu (dai 2 nendo) seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

The development was proceeded with of the electromagnetic wave shielding technology composed of plastic body, chitosan containing biodegradable coating and electroless metal plating layer. Key technologies are for formation of biodegradable electroless plating use coating using chitosan as chemical adsorption carrier of Pd and for separation of the body and the metal thin film by the environment-harmony method for recovery of the material. Studies were made in the following 5 fields: 1) method to produce low molecular chitin and chitosan; 2) application of biodegradable materials to electromagnetic wave shielding; 3) evaluation of physical properties and function of a new electromagnetic wave shielding system; 4) R and D of the degradation method of the new electromagnetic wave shielding system; 5) comprehensive investigational study. In FY 2000, in 1), conditions for production of chitosan degrading enzymes were determined, and also the scale of bio-reactor was increased up to 20L. Further, chitosan was so re-synthesized that it disperses to the electroless plating use primer. (NEDO)

Mini lathe machine converted to CNC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru Morar

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the adaptation of a mechanical mini-lathing machine to a computerized numerical control (CNC lathing machine. This machine is composed of a ASIST mini-lathe and a two-degrees-of-freedom XZ stage designed specifically for this application. The whole system is controlled from a PC using adequate CNC control software.

Effect of seaweed on mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of thermoplastic sugar palm starch/agar composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jumaidin, Ridhwan; Sapuan, Salit M; Jawaid, Mohammad; Ishak, Mohamad R; Sahari, Japar

2017-06-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of thermoplastic sugar palm starch/agar (TPSA) blend containing Eucheuma cottonii seaweed waste as biofiller. The composites were prepared by melt-mixing and hot pressing at 140°C for 10min. The TPSA/seaweed composites were characterized for their mechanical, thermal and biodegradation properties. Incorporation of seaweed from 0 to 40wt.% has significantly improved the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the TPSA/seaweed composites. Scanning electron micrograph of the tensile fracture showed homogeneous surface with formation of cleavage plane. It is also evident from TGA results that thermal stability of the composites were enhanced with addition of seaweed. After soil burial for 2 and 4 weeks, the biodegradation of the composites was enhanced with addition of seaweed. Overall, the incorporation of seaweed into TPSA enhances the properties of TPSA for short-life product application such as tray, plate, etc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of dementia in primary care: comparison of the original and a modified Mini-Cog Assessment with the Mini-Mental State Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamenski, Gustav; Dorner, Thomas; Lawrence, Kitty; Psota, Georg; Rieder, Anita; Schwarz, Franz; Sepandj, Asita; Spiegel, Wolfgang; Strotzka, Stefan

2009-12-01

Background Dementia is considered widely under-detected in primary care, and general practitioners (GPs) frequently ask for easy to use tools to assist in its early detection.Aim To determine the degree of correlation between the Mini-Cog Assessment (Mini-Cog) as performed by GPs and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).Design of study This was a prospective study (2005, 2006) comparing two cognitive screening instruments.Setting Ten general practices in Austria, with patients with a hitherto undiagnosed suspicion of dementia seen consecutively.Method Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values (PPVs and NPVs) of the Mini-Cog (applying both a colour-coded and the original rating method) were assessed for degree of correlation with the MMSE. In phase one GPs examined patients suspected of having dementia using the Mini-Cog; in phase two a neurologist retested them applying the MMSE, a clock-drawing test (CDT) and a routine clinical examination. A questionnaire on the practicability of the Mini-Cog was answered by GPs.Results Of the 107 patients who participated 86 completed the whole study protocol. The Mini-Cog, as performed by the ten GPs, displayed a sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.98), a specificity of 0.58 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.71), a PPV of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.33, 0.61) and an NPV of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.99) as against the MMSE carried out by neurologists. The GPs judged the Mini-Cog useful and time saving.Conclusion The Mini-Cog has a high sensitivity and acceptable specificity in the general practice setting and has proved to be a practicable tool for the diagnosis of dementia in primary care.

Prospects for Antineutrino Running at MiniBooNE

OpenAIRE

Wascko, M. O.

2006-01-01

MiniBooNE began running in antineutrino mode on 19 January, 2006. We describe the sensitivity of MiniBooNE to LSND-like nuebar oscillations and outline a program of antineutrino cross-section measurements necessary for the next generation of neutrino oscillation experiments. We describe three independent methods of constraining wrong-sign (neutrino) backgrounds in an antineutrino beam, and their application to the MiniBooNE antineutrino analyses.

Microbial Enzymatic Degradation of Biodegradable Plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roohi; Bano, Kulsoom; Kuddus, Mohammed; Zaheer, Mohammed R; Zia, Qamar; Khan, Mohammed F; Ashraf, Ghulam Md; Gupta, Anamika; Aliev, Gjumrakch

2017-01-01

The renewable feedstock derived biodegradable plastics are important in various industries such as packaging, agricultural, paper coating, garbage bags and biomedical implants. The increasing water and waste pollution due to the available decomposition methods of plastic degradation have led to the emergence of biodegradable plastics and biological degradation with microbial (bacteria and fungi) extracellular enzymes. The microbes utilize biodegradable polymers as the substrate under starvation and in unavailability of microbial nutrients. Microbial enzymatic degradation is suitable from bioremediation point of view as no waste accumulation occurs. It is important to understand the microbial interaction and mechanism involved in the enzymatic degradation of biodegradable plastics under the influence of several environmental factors such as applied pH, thermo-stability, substrate molecular weight and/or complexity. To study the surface erosion of polymer film is another approach for hydrolytic degradation characteristion. The degradation of biopolymer is associated with the production of low molecular weight monomer and generation of carbon dioxide, methane and water molecule. This review reported the degradation study of various existing biodegradable plastics along with the potent degrading microbes (bacteria and fungi). Patents available on plastic biodegradation with biotechnological significance is also summarized in this paper. This paper assesses that new disposal technique should be adopted for the degradation of polymers and further research is required for the economical production of biodegradable plastics along with their enzymatic degradation. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

A mini-UAV VTOL Platform for Surveying Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuldeep Rawat

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper we discuss implementation of a mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV vertical take-off and landing (VTOL platform for surveying activities related to highway construction. Recent advances in sensor and communication technologies have allowed scaling sizes of unmanned aerial platforms, and explore them for tasks that are economical and safe over populated or inhabited areas. In highway construction the capability of mini-UAVs to survey in hostile and/or hardly accessible areas can greatly reduce human risks. The project focused on developing a cost effective, remotely controlled, fuel powered mini-UAV VTOL (helicopter platform with certain payload capacity and configuration and demonstrated its use in surveying and monitoring activities required for highway planning and construction. With an on-board flight recorder global positioning system (GPS device, memory storage card, telemetry, inertial navigation sensors, and a video camera the mini-UAV can record flying coordinates and relay live video images to a remote ground receiver and surveyor. After all necessary integration and flight tests were done the mini-UAV helicopter was tested to operate and relay video from the areas where construction was underway. The mini-UAV can provide a platform for a range of sensors and instruments that directly support the operational requirements of transportation sector.

Biodegradable Implants in Orthopaedics and Traumatology

OpenAIRE

YETKIN, Haluk

2014-01-01

Biodegradable implants are an alternative to metallic implants and have the advantage of not being necessary to remove once the fracture has healed. Twenty-two patients with fractures were treated with biodegradable implants. There were osteolysis in eleven patients; however, no serious complication was encountered. Although biodegradable implants are expensive, a second surgical procedure to remove the implants is not necessary, relieving the patient of the related costs and risks.

Anaerobic biodegradation of hexazinone in four sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Huili; Xu Shuxia; Tan Chengxia; Wang Xuedong

2009-01-01

Anaerobic biodegradation of hexazinone was investigated in four sediments (L1, L2, Y1 and Y2). Results showed that the L2 sediment had the highest biodegradation potential among four sediments. However, the Y1 and Y2 sediments had no capacity to biodegrade hexazinone. Sediments with rich total organic carbon, long-term contamination history by hexazinone and neutral pH may have a high biodegradation potential because the former two factors can induce the growth of microorganisms responsible for biodegradation and the third factor can offer suitable conditions for biodegradation. The addition of sulfate or nitrate as electron acceptors enhanced hexazinone degradation. As expected, the addition of electron donors (lactate, acetate or pyruvate) substantially inhibited the degradation. In natural environmental conditions, the effect of intermediate A [3-(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)-6-(dimethylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4(1H, 3H)dione] on anaerobic hexazinone degradation was negligible because of its low level.

Designing a mini subcritical nuclear reactor; Diseno de un mini reactor nuclear subcritico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobedo G, C. R.; Vega C, H. R.; Davila H, V. M., E-mail: rafelaescobedo@hotmail.com [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, Jardin Juarez 147, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico)

2015-10-15

In this work the design of a mini subcritical nuclear reactor formed by means of light water moderator, uranium as fuel, and isotopic neutron source of {sup 239}PuBe was carried out. The design was done by Monte Carlo methods with the code MCNP5 in which uranium was modeled in an array of concentric holes cylinders of 8.5, 14.5, 20.5, 26.5, 32.5 cm of internal radius and 3 cm of thickness, 36 cm of height. Different models were made from a single fuel cylinder (natural uranium) to five. The neutron source of {sup 239}PuBe was situated in the center of the mini reactor; in each arrangement was used water as moderator. Cross sections libraries Endf/Vi were used and the number of stories was large enough to ensure less uncertainty than 3%. For each case the effective multiplication factor k{sub e}-f{sub f}, the amplification factor and the power was calculated. Outside the mini reactor the ambient dose equivalent H (10) was calculated for different cases. The value of k{sub eff}, the amplification factor and power are directly related to the number of cylinders of uranium as fuel. Although the average energy of the neutrons {sup 239}PuBe is between 4.5 and 5 MeV in the case of the mini reactor for a cylinder, in the neutron spectrum the presence of thermal neutrons does not exist, so that produced fissions are generated with fast neutrons, and in designs of two and three rings the neutron spectra shows the presence of thermal neutrons, however the fissions are being generated with fast neutrons. Finally in the four and five cases the amount of moderator is enough to thermalized the neutrons and thereby produce the fission. The maximum value for k{sub eff} was 0.82; this value is very close to the assembly of Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas generating a k{sub eff} of 0.86. According to the safety and radiation protection standards for the design of mini reactor of one, two and three cylinders they comply with the established safety, while designs of four and five

[The "Mini-ICF-Rating for Mental Disorders (Mini-ICF-P)". A short instrument for the assessment of disabilities in mental disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, M; Baron, S

2005-06-01

Supplementary to the description of diseases at symptom level, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), edited by the WHO, for the first time enables a systematic description also at the level of disabilities and impairments. The Mini-ICF-Rating for Mental Disorders (Mini-ICF-P) is a short observer rating instrument for the assessment of disabilities, especially with regard to occupational functioning. The Mini-ICF-P was first evaluated empirically in 125 patients of a Department of Behavioural Medicine and Psychosomatics. Parallel-test reliability was r = 0.59. Correlates were found with cognitive and motivational variables and duration of sick leave from work. In summary, the Mini-ICF-P is a quick and practicable instrument.

Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Song, J. H.; Murphy, R. J.; Narayan, R.; Davies, G. B. H.

2009-01-01

Packaging waste forms a significant part of municipal solid waste and has caused increasing environmental concerns, resulting in a strengthening of various regulations aimed at reducing the amounts generated. Among other materials, a wide range of oil-based polymers is currently used in packaging applications. These are virtually all non-biodegradable, and some are difficult to recycle or reuse due to being complex composites having varying levels of contamination. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of biodegradable plastics, largely from renewable natural resources, to produce biodegradable materials with similar functionality to that of oil-based polymers. The expansion in these bio-based materials has several potential benefits for greenhouse gas balances and other environmental impacts over whole life cycles and in the use of renewable, rather than finite resources. It is intended that use of biodegradable materials will contribute to sustainability and reduction in the environmental impact associated with disposal of oil-based polymers. The diversity of biodegradable materials and their varying properties makes it difficult to make simple, generic assessments such as biodegradable products are all ‘good’ or petrochemical-based products are all ‘bad’. This paper discusses the potential impacts of biodegradable packaging materials and their waste management, particularly via composting. It presents the key issues that inform judgements of the benefits these materials have in relation to conventional, petrochemical-based counterparts. Specific examples are given from new research on biodegradability in simulated ‘home’ composting systems. It is the view of the authors that biodegradable packaging materials are most suitable for single-use disposable applications where the post-consumer waste can be locally composted. PMID:19528060

Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, J H; Murphy, R J; Narayan, R; Davies, G B H

2009-07-27

Packaging waste forms a significant part of municipal solid waste and has caused increasing environmental concerns, resulting in a strengthening of various regulations aimed at reducing the amounts generated. Among other materials, a wide range of oil-based polymers is currently used in packaging applications. These are virtually all non-biodegradable, and some are difficult to recycle or reuse due to being complex composites having varying levels of contamination. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of biodegradable plastics, largely from renewable natural resources, to produce biodegradable materials with similar functionality to that of oil-based polymers. The expansion in these bio-based materials has several potential benefits for greenhouse gas balances and other environmental impacts over whole life cycles and in the use of renewable, rather than finite resources. It is intended that use of biodegradable materials will contribute to sustainability and reduction in the environmental impact associated with disposal of oil-based polymers. The diversity of biodegradable materials and their varying properties makes it difficult to make simple, generic assessments such as biodegradable products are all 'good' or petrochemical-based products are all 'bad'. This paper discusses the potential impacts of biodegradable packaging materials and their waste management, particularly via composting. It presents the key issues that inform judgements of the benefits these materials have in relation to conventional, petrochemical-based counterparts. Specific examples are given from new research on biodegradability in simulated 'home' composting systems. It is the view of the authors that biodegradable packaging materials are most suitable for single-use disposable applications where the post-consumer waste can be locally composted.

Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI: validação de entrevista breve para diagnóstico de transtornos mentais

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amorim Patrícia

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: O MINI é uma entrevista diagnóstica padronizada breve (15-30 minutos, compatível com os critérios do DSM-III-R/IV e da CID-10, que é destinada à utilização na prática clínica e na pesquisa em atenção primária e em psiquiatria, e pode ser utilizada por clínicos após um treinamento rápido (de 1 a 3 horas. A versão Plus do MINI, mais detalhada, gera diagnósticos positivos dos principais transtornos psicóticos e do humor do DSM-IV. Este artigo apresenta os resultados de quatro estudos de validação do instrumento, realizados na Europa e nos EUA. Métodos: Os estudos 1 (França e 2 (EUA testaram a confiabilidade -entre avaliadores e teste-reteste -da versão DSM-III-R do MINI (n=84, sendo 42 pacientes psiquiátricos de cada centro e sua validade com relação ao CIDI (n=346, sendo 296 pacientes psiquiátricos e 50 controles e ao SCID-P (n=370, sendo 308 pacientes psiquiátricos e 62 controles, respectivamente. O estudo 3 testou a validade de diagnósticos gerados por clínicos gerais usando o MINI (DSM-IV com relação aos diagnósticos clínicos habituais de psiquiatras, em 409 pacientes de centros de atenção primária de quatro países (França, Espanha, Itália e Reino Unido. O estudo 4 testou a confiabilidade entre avaliadores (n=20 pacientes psiquiátricos e a validade dos módulos Transtornos Psicóticos, Depressão e Mania do MINI Plus - DSM IV (n=104 pacientes psiquiátricos com relação a dois critérios de referência: diagnósticos do CIDI e diagnósticos clínicos de psiquiatras. Análises quantitativas (índices de concordância e de validade e qualitativas (razões de discordância foram realizadas. Resultados: Os índices de confiabilidade do MINI (estudos 1 e 2 e do MINI Plus (estudo 4 foram globalmente satisfatórios. Comparados a vários critérios de referência (CIDI, SCID-P, opinião de peritos, em diferentes contextos (unidades psiquiátricas e centros de atenção primária, o MINI e o MINI

PV-hybrid and mini-grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

Within the 5th European PV-hybrid and mini-grid conference 29th and 30th April, 2010 in Tarragona (Spain) the following lectures were held: (1) Overview of IEA PVPS Task 11 PV-hybrid systems within mini grids; (2) Photovoltaic revolution for deployment in developing countries; (3) Legal and financial conditions for the sustainable operation of mini-grids; (4) EU instruments to promote renewable energies in developing countries; (5) PV hybridization of diesel electricity generators: Conditions of profitability and examples in differential power and storage size ranges; (6) Education suit of designing PV hybrid systems; (7) Sustainable renewable energy projects for intelligent rural electrification in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam; (8) Techno-economic feasibility of energy supply of remote villages in Palestine by PV systems, diesel generators and electric grid (Case studies: Emnazeil and Atouf villages); (9) Technical, economical and sustainability considerations of a solar PV mini grid as a tool for rural electrification in Uganda; (10) Can we rate inverters for rural electrification on the basis of energy efficiency?; (11) Test procedures for MPPT charge controllers characterization; (12) Energy storage for mini-grid stabilization; (13) Redox flow batteries - Already an alternative storage solution for hybrid PV mini-grids?; (14) Control methods for PV hybrid mini-grids; (15) Partial AC-coupling in mini-grids; (15) Normative issues of small wind turbines in PV hybrid systems; (16) Communication solutions for PV hybrid systems; (17) Towards flexible control and communication of mini-grids; (18) PV/methanol fuel cell hybrid system for powering a highway security variable message board; (19) Polygeneration smartgrids: A solution for the supply of electricity, potable water and hydrogen as fuel for transportation in remote Areas; (20) Implementation of the Bronsbergen micro grid using FACDS; (21) A revisited approach for the design of PV wind hybrid systems; (22

The Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing Test, and the Mini-Mental State Examination in a German memory clinic: specificity of separation dementia from depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Milian, Monika; Leiherr, Anna-Maria; Straten, Guido; Müller, Stephan; Leyhe, Thomas; Eschweiler, Gerhard W

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the specificities of the Mini-Cog, the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) against depression and healthy controls in a German Memory Clinic. Furthermore, we analyzed the specificities of all three screening instruments in dependence of actual depression severity. Data from 142 depressed elderly, 438 dementia patients, and 64 healthy controls were retrospectively analyzed. The CDT and an extraction of the three-item recall of the MMSE were used to constitute the Mini-Cog algorithm. Depression severity was rated by either the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) or the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) depending on the age of the patients. The Mini-Cog achieved a specificity of 79.6% against depressed elderly and 100.0% against healthy subjects (p Mini-Cog and the CDT, but also showed the lowest sensitivity for the detection of dementia. Surprisingly, the depression severity had no effect on the specificity of the Mini-Cog and the CDT, only the MMSE was susceptible for the depression severity. Although the MMSE showed higher specificities, the weighting between the sensitivities and specificities in all tests prove again the Mini-Cog as a short, valid, and sensitive screening tool.

Bacterial Community Dynamics and Biodegradation Rates in Untreated and Oily Soils During PAH Exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, A.E.M.

2008-01-01

The approach taken in this study represents an attempt to address the possible selective effects of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on the bacterial community structure of an untreated garden soil (S) and a chronically contaminated oily soil (CS). Untreated and chronically hydrocarbon polluted soils, collected from Egypt were enriched in shaking flasks containing 50 mg/l anthracene as a sole source of carbon over a period of 15 days. Bacterial communities in each soil were profiled by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the PCR amplified 16 S r DNA gene fragments after 0, 5, 10, and 15 days. Culture able biodegrading bacterial counts on minerals- Silica gel- Oil (MSD) plates as well as anthracene degradation for both soils were followed up at the same time intervals. Nine bacterial species were found to be dominant in the pristine soil before enrichment with the model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), eight of them disappeared after live days of enrichment with the domination of one new species. It stayed dominant in soil until 15 days - exposure to anthracene. Therefore it can be used as a bio marker for PAH pollution. The chronically contaminated soil revealed a remarkable increase in the diversity directly after 5 days exposure to PAH HPLC analysis of the extracted anthracene remained in the biodegradation flasks after different degradation periods revealed that a higher biodegradation rates were accomplished by the oily soil consortium rather than by the pristine one. Before exposure to PAH, counts of culture able biodegrading bacteria were found to be higher in the untreated soil rather than in the oily one. After exposure the situation has been a bit altered as the counts in the untreated soil revealed a temporary suppression with a prolongation of the time required for growth as a result of the hydrocarbon stress

Nanocomposites Based on Biodegradable Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Armentano

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In the present review paper, our main results on nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers (on a time scale from 2010 to 2018 are reported. We mainly focused our attention on commercial biodegradable polymers, which we mixed with different nanofillers and/or additives with the final aim of developing new materials with tunable specific properties. A wide list of nanofillers have been considered according to their shape, properties, and functionalization routes, and the results have been discussed looking at their roles on the basis of different adopted processing routes (solvent-based or melt-mixing processes. Two main application fields of nanocomposite based on biodegradable polymers have been considered: the specific interaction with stem cells in the regenerative medicine applications or as antimicrobial materials and the active role of selected nanofillers in food packaging applications have been critically revised, with the main aim of providing an overview of the authors’ contribution to the state of the art in the field of biodegradable polymeric nanocomposites.

Biodegradation of oils in uranium deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landais, P.

1989-01-01

The biodegradation of free hydrocarbons that have migrated in reservoir facies has often been observed in the field of petroleum exploration. This alteration is characterized by the progressive removal by bacteria of the different types of hydrocarbons: n-alkanes, branched alkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, etc. One of the most important consequences of biodegradation is the biogenic reduction of sulphate, which has been noticed in several Pb-Zn deposits. Biodegradation of oils spatially associated with uranium mineralizations has been observed in Temple Mountain, Utah, and the Grand Canyon, Arizona, in the United States of America, and in Lodeve in France. It leads to the transformation of fluid oils into solid bitumens. Emphasis is placed on the relationships between the effects of biodegradation on organic matter (oxidation of aromatization) and the nature of aqueous fluids analysed in fluid inclusions trapped in authigenic minerals. Different mechanisms are proposed to explain the transformations of organic matter during biodegradation and their possible links with the ore forming process. (author). 40 refs, 13 figs, 1 tab

Diversity of Cellulolytic Microbes and the Biodegradation of Municipal Solid Waste by a Potential Strain

Science.gov (United States)

Gautam, S. P.; Bundela, P. S.; Pandey, A. K.; Jamaluddin; Awasthi, M. K.; Sarsaiya, S.

2012-01-01

Municipal solid waste contains high amounts of cellulose, which is an ideal organic waste for the growth of most of microorganism as well as composting by potential microbes. In the present study, Congo red test was performed for screening of microorganism, and, after selecting a potential strains, it was further used for biodegradation of organic municipal solid waste. Forty nine out of the 250 different microbes tested (165 belong to fungi and 85 to bacteria) produced cellulase enzyme and among these Trichoderma viride was found to be a potential strain in the secondary screening. During the biodegradation of organic waste, after 60 days, the average weight losses were 20.10% in the plates and 33.35% in the piles. There was an increase in pH until 20 days. pH however, stabilized after 30 days in the piles. Temperature also stabilized as the composting process progressed in the piles. The high temperature continued until 30 days of decomposition, after which the temperature dropped to 40°C and below during the maturation. Good quality compost was obtained in 60 days. PMID:22518141

Here today, gone tomorrow: biodegradable soft robots

Science.gov (United States)

Rossiter, Jonathan; Winfield, Jonathan; Ieropoulos, Ioannis

2016-04-01

One of the greatest challenges to modern technologies is what to do with them when they go irreparably wrong or come to the end of their productive lives. The convention, since the development of modern civilisation, is to discard a broken item and then procure a new one. In the 20th century enlightened environmentalists campaigned for recycling and reuse (R and R). R and R has continued to be an important part of new technology development, but there is still a huge problem of non-recyclable materials being dumped into landfill and being discarded in the environment. The challenge is even greater for robotics, a field which will impact on all aspects of our lives, where discards include motors, rigid elements and toxic power supplies and batteries. One novel solution is the biodegradable robot, an active physical machine that is composed of biodegradable materials and which degrades to nothing when released into the environment. In this paper we examine the potential and realities of biodegradable robotics, consider novel solutions to core components such as sensors, actuators and energy scavenging, and give examples of biodegradable robotics fabricated from everyday, and not so common, biodegradable electroactive materials. The realisation of truly biodegradable robots also brings entirely new deployment, exploration and bio-remediation capabilities: why track and recover a few large non-biodegradable robots when you could speculatively release millions of biodegradable robots instead? We will consider some of these exciting developments and explore the future of this new field.

Biodegradation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Biodegradability under Co-Existing Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshikawa, Miho; Zhang, Ming; Toyota, Koki

2017-09-27

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major pollutants that are found in contaminated sites, particularly in developed countries such as Japan. Various microorganisms that degrade individual VOCs have been reported, and genomic information related to their phylogenetic classification and VOC-degrading enzymes is available. However, the biodegradation of multiple VOCs remains a challenging issue. Practical sites, such as chemical factories, research facilities, and illegal dumping sites, are often contaminated with multiple VOCs. In order to investigate the potential of biodegrading multiple VOCs, we initially reviewed the biodegradation of individual VOCs. VOCs include chlorinated ethenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride), BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and chlorinated methanes (carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dichloromethane). We also summarized essential information on the biodegradation of each kind of VOC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, together with the microorganisms that are involved in VOC-degrading pathways. Interactions among multiple VOCs were then discussed based on concrete examples. Under conditions in which multiple VOCs co-exist, the biodegradation of a VOC may be constrained, enhanced, and/or unaffected by other compounds. Co-metabolism may enhance the degradation of other VOCs. In contrast, constraints are imposed by the toxicity of co-existing VOCs and their by-products, catabolite repression, or competition between VOC-degrading enzymes. This review provides fundamental, but systematic information for designing strategies for the bioremediation of multiple VOCs, as well as information on the role of key microorganisms that degrade VOCs.

Biodegradation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Biodegradability under Co-Existing Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshikawa, Miho; Zhang, Ming; Toyota, Koki

2017-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major pollutants that are found in contaminated sites, particularly in developed countries such as Japan. Various microorganisms that degrade individual VOCs have been reported, and genomic information related to their phylogenetic classification and VOC-degrading enzymes is available. However, the biodegradation of multiple VOCs remains a challenging issue. Practical sites, such as chemical factories, research facilities, and illegal dumping sites, are often contaminated with multiple VOCs. In order to investigate the potential of biodegrading multiple VOCs, we initially reviewed the biodegradation of individual VOCs. VOCs include chlorinated ethenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride), BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and chlorinated methanes (carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dichloromethane). We also summarized essential information on the biodegradation of each kind of VOC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, together with the microorganisms that are involved in VOC-degrading pathways. Interactions among multiple VOCs were then discussed based on concrete examples. Under conditions in which multiple VOCs co-exist, the biodegradation of a VOC may be constrained, enhanced, and/or unaffected by other compounds. Co-metabolism may enhance the degradation of other VOCs. In contrast, constraints are imposed by the toxicity of co-existing VOCs and their by-products, catabolite repression, or competition between VOC-degrading enzymes. This review provides fundamental, but systematic information for designing strategies for the bioremediation of multiple VOCs, as well as information on the role of key microorganisms that degrade VOCs. PMID:28904262

Validation and cultural adaptation of the Arabic versions of the Mini-Mental Status Examination - 2 and Mini-Cog test.

Science.gov (United States)

Albanna, Mohammad; Yehya, Arij; Khairi, Abdalla; Dafeeah, Elnour; Elhadi, Abdelsalam; Rezgui, Lamia; Al Kahlout, Shahada; Yousif, Adil; Uthman, Basim; Al-Amin, Hassen

2017-01-01

The elderly population is increasing around the world, and the prevalence of dementia increases with age. Hence, it is expected that the number of people with dementia will increase significantly in the coming years. The Mini-Mental Status Examination - 2 (MMSE-2) and Mini-Cog are widely used tests to screen for dementia. These scales have good reliability and validity and are easy to administer in clinical and research settings. The purpose of this study was to validate the Arabic versions of MMSE-2 and Mini-Cog. These scales were assessed against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision ( DSM-IV-TR ) criteria for dementia, as the gold standard. The standard versions of the MMSE-2 and Mini-Cog were translated to Arabic following the back-translation method. Then, a trained rater administered these tests to 134 Arab elderly aged >60 years. A physician, blind to the results of these two tests, assessed the participants for vascular dementia or probable Alzheimer's disease, based on the DSM-IV-TR criteria. The sample included 67.2% Qataris. The mean age was 74.86 years (standard deviation =7.71), and 61.9% did not attend school. The mean of the adjusted scores of MMSE-2 based on age and education level was 19.60 (standard deviation =6.58). According to DSM-IV-TR , 17.2% of the participants had dementia. Sensitivity and specificity of the MMSE-2 and the Mini-Cog together were 71.4% and 61.6%, respectively, which were better than those of each test alone. Together, the Arabic versions of MMSE-2 and Mini-Cog are good screening tools for cognitive impairment in Arabs.

BTEX biodegradation by bacteria from effluents of petroleum refinery.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzeo, Dânia Elisa Christofoletti; Levy, Carlos Emílio; de Angelis, Dejanira de Franceschi; Marin-Morales, Maria Aparecida

2010-09-15

Groundwater contamination with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) has been increasing, thus requiring an urgent development of methodologies that are able to remove or minimize the damages these compounds can cause to the environment. The biodegradation process using microorganisms has been regarded as an efficient technology to treat places contaminated with hydrocarbons, since they are able to biotransform and/or biodegrade target pollutants. To prove the efficiency of this process, besides chemical analysis, the use of biological assessments has been indicated. This work identified and selected BTEX-biodegrading microorganisms present in effluents from petroleum refinery, and evaluated the efficiency of microorganism biodegradation process for reducing genotoxic and mutagenic BTEX damage through two test-systems: Allium cepa and hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells. Five different non-biodegraded BTEX concentrations were evaluated in relation to biodegraded concentrations. The biodegradation process was performed in a BOD Trak Apparatus (HACH) for 20 days, using microorganisms pre-selected through enrichment. Although the biodegradation usually occurs by a consortium of different microorganisms, the consortium in this study was composed exclusively of five bacteria species and the bacteria Pseudomonas putida was held responsible for the BTEX biodegradation. The chemical analyses showed that BTEX was reduced in the biodegraded concentrations. The results obtained with genotoxicity assays, carried out with both A. cepa and HTC cells, showed that the biodegradation process was able to decrease the genotoxic damages of BTEX. By mutagenic tests, we observed a decrease in damage only to the A. cepa organism. Although no decrease in mutagenicity was observed for HTC cells, no increase of this effect after the biodegradation process was observed either. The application of pre-selected bacteria in biodegradation processes can represent a reliable and

Advances in Biodegradation of Multiple Volatile Organic Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, M.; Yoshikawa, M.

2017-12-01

Bioremediation of soil and groundwater containing multiple contaminants remains a challenge in environmental science and engineering because complete biodegradation of all components is necessary but very difficult to accomplish in practice. This presentation provides a brief overview on advances in biodegradation of multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including chlorinated ethylenes, benzene, toluene and dichloromethane (DCM). Case studies on aerobic biodegradation of benzene, toluene and DCM, and integrated anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation of 7 contaminants, specifically, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), DCM, benzene and toluene will be provided. Recent findings based on systematic laboratory experiments indicated that aerobic toluene degradation can be enhanced by co-existence of benzene. Propioniferax, not a known benzene, toluene and DCM degrader can be a key microorganism that involves in biodegradation when the three contaminants co-exist. Integrated anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation is capable of completely degrading the seven VOCs with initial concentrations less than 30 mg/L. Dehalococcoides sp., generally considered sensitive to oxygen, can survive aerobic conditions for at least 28 days, and can be activated during the subsequent anaerobic biodegradation. This presentation may provide a systematic information about biodegradation of multiple VOCs, and a scientific basis for the complete bioremediation of multiple contaminants in situ.

Biodegradable films made from raw and acetylated cassava starch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio D. S. Larotonda

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Studies were carried out to produce biodegradable films from cassava starch. Two alternatives were investigated. In the first, films were obtained by starch gelatinization followed by thermopressing and glycerol was used at different concentrations as a plasticizer. In the second, starch acetate films were obtained by solubilization of cassava starch acetate in organic solvents, followed by casting on a glass plate and drying at room temperature. The films obtained by gelatinization were transparent and resistant to traction. The starch acetate films were also transparent but breakable. The use of these starch acetate films in paper impregnation improved the mechanical properties of the paper.A reciclagem de produtos constituídos por polímeros sintéticos e sua substituição por materiais biodegradáveis estão sendo estudadas como alternativas para reduzir a poluição ambiental causada por estes materiais. Neste contexto, o amido está recebendo considerável atenção entre os recursos renováveis que podem ser usados para a fabricação de materiais para embalagem. O objetivo deste trabalho foi produzir filmes biodegradáveis a partir do amido da mandioca. Duas alternativas foram investigadas. Na primeira, os filmes foram obtidos pela gelatinização do amido seguida de termoprensagem, utilizando o glicerol em concentrações diferentes como o plastificante. A outra alternativa estudada foi a acetilação do amido de mandioca. Os filmes de acetato de amido foram obtidos pela solubilização do acetato em solventes orgânicos, seguido do espalhamento da solução em uma placa de vidro e secagem em temperatura ambiente. Os filmes obtidos pela gelatinização do amido mostraram-se transparentes e resistentes à tração. Os filmes de acetato de amido mostraram-se transparentes e quebradiços. No entanto, seu uso para a impregnação de papel melhorou as propriedades mecânicas deste último.

Reasons for mini-implants failure: choosing installation site should be valued!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Consolaro

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Mini-implant loss is often associated with physical and mechanical aspects that result from choosing an inappropriate placement site. It is worth highlighting that: a Interdental alveolar bone crests are flexible and deformable. For this reason, they may not offer the ideal absolute anchorage. The more cervical the structures, the more delicate they are, thus offering less physical support for mini-implant placement; b Alveolar bone crests of triangular shape are more deformable, whereas those of rectangular shape are more flexible; c The bases of the alveolar processes of the maxilla and the mandible are not flexible, for this reason, they are more likely to receive mini-implants; d The more cervical a mini-implant is placed, the higher the risk of loss; the more apical a mini-implant is placed, the better its prognosis will be; e 3D evaluations play a major role in planning the use of mini-implants. Based on the aforementioned considerations, the hypotheses about mini-implant loss are as follows: 1 Deflection of maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes when mini-implants are more cervically placed; 2 Mini-implants placed too near the periodontal ligament, with normal intra-alveolar tooth movement; 3 Low bone density, low thickness and low alveolar bone volume; 4 Low alveolar cortical bone thickness; 5 Excessive pressure inducing trabecular bone microfracture; 6 Sites of higher anatomical weakness in the mandible and the maxilla; 7 Thicker gingival tissue not considered when choosing the mini-implant.

Editorial: Biodegradable Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carl Schaschke

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This Special Issue “Biodegradable Materials” features research and review papers concerning recent advances on the development, synthesis, testing and characterisation of biomaterials. These biomaterials, derived from natural and renewable sources, offer a potential alternative to existing non-biodegradable materials with application to the food and biomedical industries amongst many others. In this Special Issue, the work is expanded to include the combined use of fillers that can enhance the properties of biomaterials prepared as films. The future application of these biomaterials could have an impact not only at the economic level, but also for the improvement of the environment.

Hydrocarbons biodegradation in unsaturated porous medium; Biodegradation des hydrocarbures en milieu poreux insature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gautier, C

2007-12-15

Biological processes are expected to play an important role in the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. However, factors influencing the kinetics of biodegradation are still not well known, especially in the unsaturated zone. To address these biodegradation questions in the unsaturated zone an innovative experimental set up based on a physical column model was developed. This experimental set up appeared to be an excellent tool for elaboration of a structured porous medium, with well defined porous network and adjusted water/oil saturations. Homogeneous repartition of both liquid phases (i.e., aqueous and non aqueous) in the soil pores, which also contain air, was achieved using ceramic membranes placed at the bottom of the soil column. Reproducible interfaces (and connectivity) are developed between gas, and both non mobile water and NAPL phases, depending on the above-defined characteristics of the porous media and on the partial saturations of these three phases (NAPL, water and gas). A respirometric apparatus was coupled to the column. Such experimental set up have been validated with hexadecane in dilution in an HMN phase. This approach allowed detailed information concerning n-hexadecane biodegradation, in aerobic condition, through the profile of the oxygen consumption rate. We have taken benefit of this technique, varying experimental conditions, to determine the main parameters influencing the biodegradation kinetics and compositional evolution of hydrocarbons, under steady state unsaturated conditions and with respect to aerobic metabolism. Impacts of the nitrogen quantity and of three different grain sizes have been examined. Biodegradation of petroleum cut, as diesel cut and middle distillate without aromatic fraction, were, also studied. (author)

Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: implications of absent mini-puberty.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwyer, Andrew A; Jayasena, Channa N; Quinton, Richard

2016-06-01

The phenomenon known as "mini-puberty" refers to activation of the neonatal hypothalamo-pituitary axis causing serum concentrations of gonadotrophins and testosterone (T) to approach adult male levels. This early neonatal period is a key proliferative window for testicular germ cells and immature Sertoli cells. Although failure to spontaneously initiate (adolescent) puberty is the most evident consequence of a defective gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurosecretory network, absent mini-puberty is also likely to have a major impact on the reproductive phenotype of men with congenital hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (CHH). Furthermore, the phase of male mini-puberty represents a key window-of-opportunity to identify congenital GnRH deficiency (either isolated CHH, or as part of combined pituitary hormone deficiency) in childhood. Among male neonates exhibiting "red flag" indicators for CHH (i.e. maldescended testes with or without cryptorchidism) a single serum sample (between 4-8 weeks of life) can pinpoint congenital GnRH deficiency far more rapidly and with much greater accuracy than dynamic tests performed in later childhood or adolescence. Potential consequences for missing absent mini-puberty in a male neonate include the lack of monitoring of pubertal progression/lack of progression, and the missed opportunity for early therapeutic intervention. This article will review our current understanding of the mechanisms and clinical consequences of mini-puberty. Furthermore, evidence for the optimal clinical management of patients with absent mini-puberty will be discussed.

Virtual laboratory of electrical mini-grids with distributed generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menezes Ramos, Vanessa; Barros Galhardo, Marcos André; Oliveira Barbosa, Claudomiro Fábio de; Tavares Pinho, João

2015-01-01

This paper presents a computing tool called Virtual Laboratory de Minirredes (Virtual Laboratory of Mini-grids). Using the virtual environment of the developed tool, it is possible to make remote connection/disconnection of switches and loads (resistive, inductive, capacitive and non-linear) at strategic points of the electric mini-grid with hybrid distributed generation systems (solar photovoltaic-diesel). The mini-grid has a length of about 1 km and is installed in the test area of the Grupo de Estudios e Desenvolvimento de Alternativas Exergética (GEDAE) of the Universidade Federal do Pará, located in the city of Belém, Pará, Brazil. The developed tool has communication functions with electric parameters transducers and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This communication enables the opening and closing of contactors, resulting in different settings for the mini-grid. In addition to that, based on the proposed configuration by the user, the real-time operation status of mini-grid is presented in a graphic interface (for example, monitored electric parameters, distributed generators connected, status of disconnected switches, etc.) and the acquired data is stored. The use of the computing tool also focuses on the construction of a database, in order to obtain knowledge about the mini-grid performance under various conditions that can be set, depending on the operational strategy adopted, based on the choice of the layout, loads and power sources used in the mini-grid. (full text)

Mini AERCam Inspection Robot for Human Space Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Fredrickson, Steven E.; Duran, Steve; Mitchell, Jennifer D.

2004-01-01

The Engineering Directorate of NASA Johnson Space Center has developed a nanosatellite-class free-flyer intended for future external inspection and remote viewing of human spacecraft. The Miniature Autonomous Extravehicular Robotic Camera (Mini AERCam) technology demonstration unit has been integrated into the approximate form and function of a flight system. The spherical Mini AERCam free flyer is 7.5 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 10 pounds, yet it incorporates significant additional capabilities compared to the 35 pound, 14 inch AERCam Sprint that flew as a Shuttle flight experiment in 1997. Mini AERCam hosts a full suite of miniaturized avionics, instrumentation, communications, navigation, imaging, power, and propulsion subsystems, including digital video cameras and a high resolution still image camera. The vehicle is designed for either remotely piloted operations or supervised autonomous operations including automatic stationkeeping and point-to-point maneuvering. Mini AERCam is designed to fulfill the unique requirements and constraints associated with using a free flyer to perform external inspections and remote viewing of human spacecraft operations. This paper describes the application of Mini AERCam for stand-alone spacecraft inspection, as well as for roles on teams of humans and robots conducting future space exploration missions.

Mini-chamber, an advanced protection concept for NIF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, P.F.; Scott, J.M.

1996-01-01

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target debris and ablated near-target materials pose the primary threat to the National Ignition Facility (NIF) final optics debris shields, as well as a major challenge in future inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plants. This work discusses a NIF 'mini-chamber,' designed to mitigate the debris threat. Although the NIF base-line design protects against debris using a frost-protected target positioner and refractory first-wall coatings, the mini-chamber provides important flexibility in three areas: debris-shield protection from beyond-design basis shots (i.e. heavy hohlraums, special diagnostics, shields); fielding of large experiments with significant surface ablation; and studying key ablation and gas-dynamics issues for liquid-wall IFE power plants. Key mini-chamber modeling results are presented, followed by discussion of equipment requirements for fielding a NIF mini-chamber. 7 refs., 3 figs

Thermal performance of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in water - ethylene glycol nanofluid mixture as cooling medium in mini channel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakaria, Irnie Azlin; Mohamed, Wan Ahmad Najmi Wan; Mamat, Aman Mohd Ihsan; Sainan, Khairul Imran; Talib, Siti Fatimah Abu [Alternative Energy Research Centre (AERC), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia)

2015-08-28

Continuous need for an optimum conversion efficiency of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) operation has triggered varieties of advancements namely on the thermal management engineering scope. Nanofluids as an innovative heat transfer fluid solution are expected to be a promising candidate for alternative coolant in mini channel cooling plate of PEMFC. In this work, heat transfer performance of low concentration of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 % Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in water: Ethylene glycol (EG) mixtures of 100:0 and 50:50 nanofluids have been studied and compared against its base fluids at Re number ranging from 10 to 100. A steady, laminar and incompressible flow with constant heat flux is assumed in the channel of 140mm × 200mm. It was found that nanofluids have performed better than the base fluid but the demerit is on the pumping power due to the higher pressure drop across mini channel geometry as expected.

Mini-Implants: New Possibilities in Interdisciplinary Treatment Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biju Sebastian

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The introduction of mini-implants has broadened the range of tooth movements possible by fixed appliance therapy alone. The limits of fixed orthodontic treatment have become more a matter of facial appearance than anchorage. Many complex cases which would previously have required surgery or functional appliances can now be treated with fixed appliance therapy using mini-implants. A mutilated dentition case where mini-implants were used to provide anchorage for intrusion of molars and retraction of anterior teeth is reported here to illustrate this point.

Kinetics of monomer biodegradation in soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Siotto, Michela; Sezenna, Elena; Saponaro, Sabrina; Innocenti, Francesco Degli; Tosin, Maurizio; Bonomo, Luca; Mezzanotte, Valeria

2012-01-01

In modern intensive agriculture, plastics are used in several applications (i.e. mulch films, drip irrigation tubes, string, clips, pots, etc.). Interest towards applying biodegradable plastics to replace the conventional plastics is promising. Ten monomers, which can be applied in the synthesis of potentially biodegradable polyesters, were tested according to ASTM 5988-96 (standard respirometric test to evaluate aerobic biodegradation in soil by measuring the carbon dioxide evolution): adipic acid, azelaic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-ethanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, lactic acid, glucose, sebacic acid, succinic acid and terephthalic acid. Eight replicates were carried out for each monomer for 27-45 days. The numerical code AQUASIM was applied to process the CO₂ experimental data in order to estimate values for the parameters describing the different mechanisms occurring to the monomers in soil: i) the first order solubilization kinetic constant, K(sol) (d⁻¹); ii) the first order biodegradation kinetic constant, K(b) (d⁻¹); iii) the lag time in biodegradation, t(lag) (d); and iv) the carbon fraction biodegraded but not transformed into CO₂, Y (-). The following range of values were obtained: [0.006 d⁻¹, 6.9 d⁻¹] for K(sol), [0.1 d⁻¹, 1.2 d⁻¹] for K(b), and [0.32-0.58] for Y; t(lag) was observed for azelaic acid, 1,2-ethanediol, and terephthalic acid, with estimated values between 3.0 e 4.9 d. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy efficient mini bars in hotel rooms; Energieffektive minibarer til hotelvaerelser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-12-15

The project 'Energy-efficient mini bars for hotel rooms' is carried out from February December 2005. The project is financed by Elfor's PSO funds and also by the participants in the project, HORESTA and Teknologisk Institut. Mini bars consume up to 10% of the total electricity costs of a hotel. Therefore, the energy consumption of mini bars has been brought into focus in this project. The existing mini bar market has been analysed and measurements have been carried out on the type of mini bars that are used most often. In that way, energy consumption, net volume, energy efficiency, energy labelling, noise level and cooling capacity have been determined. In the course of the project, mini bars from IndelB, Domestic and Vibocold have been tested. With regard to energy consumption, the test results showed large deviations from the consumption stated by the manufacturer. Only 1 of the 6 tested mini bars received an energy label B - the others were labelled with F or G. Therefore, there is a great potential for developing more energy efficient mini bars. A list covering the energy consumption, energy labelling, noise level etc. of the tested mini bars and a guide to new purchases can be found on HORESTA's homepage www.horesta.dk. (au)

Anaerobic biodegradability and treatment of Egyption domestic sewage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elmitwally, T.A.; Al-Sarawey, A.; El-Sherbiny, M.F.; Zeeman, G.; Lettinga, G.

2003-01-01

The anaerobic biodegradability of domestic sewage for four Egyptian villages and four Egyptian cities was determined in batch experiments. The results showed that the biodegradability of the Egyptian-villages sewage (73%) was higher than that of the cities (66%). The higher biodegradability of the

Biodegradable Metals From Concept to Applications

CERN Document Server

Hermawan, Hendra

2012-01-01

This book in the emerging research field of biomaterials covers biodegradable metals for biomedical applications. The book contains two main parts where each of them consists of three chapters. The first part introduces the readers to the field of metallic biomaterials, exposes the state of the art of biodegradable metals, and reveals its application for cardiovascular implants. It includes some fundamental aspects to give basic understanding on metals for further review on the degradable ones is covered in chapter one. The second chapter introduces the concept of biodegradable metals, it's st

Experimental investigation on lithium-ion battery thermal management based on flow boiling in mini-channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Zhoujian; Jia, Li; Li, Xuejiao; Ding, Yong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new type of BTM system based on flow boiling in mini-channel are presented. • Uniform temperature and volume distribution of battery module are obtained. • The temperatures of battery cell are maintained around 40 °C. • There exists an appropriate Re number range for boiling heat transfer in mini-channel. - Abstract: In order to guarantee the safety and prolong the lifetime of lithium-ion power battery within electric vehicles, thermal management system is essential. A new type of thermal management system based on flow boiling in mini-channel utilizing dielectric hydrofluoroether liquid which boiling point is 34 °C is proposed. The cooling experiments for battery module are carried out at different discharge rates and flow Re number. The cooling effect and the influence of battery cooling on the electrochemical characteristics are concerned. The experimental results show that the thermal management can efficiently reduce maximum temperature of battery module and surface maximum temperature difference. A relatively uniform temperature and voltage distributions are provided within the battery module at higher discharge rate benefit from the advantage of boiling heat transfer with uniform temperature distribution on cold plate. It is shown that the voltage decreases with the increase of Re number of fluid due to the reducing of temperature. There exist slight fluctuations of voltage distribution because of the non-uniformity of temperature distribution within the battery module at higher discharge rates. For different discharge rate, there also exists an appropriate Re number range during which the mode of heat transfer is mainly in boiling heat transfer mode and the cooling result can be greatly improved.

Novel use of hand fracture fixation plates in the surgical stabilisation of flail chest.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Dunlop, Rebecca L E

2010-01-01

Plastic surgeons specialize in working closely with other surgical colleagues to help solve clinical problems. In this case, we performed surgical stabilisation of a large flail chest fragment in conjunction with the cardiothoracic surgical team, using the mini-plating set more commonly used for hand fracture fixation. The use of this fixation system for flail chest has not previously been described, but offers advantages over other reported methods, primarily by dispensing with the need for an extensive thoracotomy incision and by providing robust stabilisation without the presence of prominent hardware.

Biodegradation of acetanilide herbicides acetochlor and butachlor in soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Chang-ming; Wang, Xing-jun; Zheng, He-hui

2002-10-01

The biodegradation of two acetanilide herbicides, acetochlor and butachlor in soil after other environmental organic matter addition were measured during 35 days laboratory incubations. The herbicides were applied to soil alone, soil-SDBS (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate) mixtures and soil-HA (humic acid) mixtures. Herbicide biodegradation kinetics were compared in the different treatment. Biodegradation products of herbicides in soil alone samples were identified by GC/MS at the end of incubation. Addition of SDBS and HA to soil decreased acetochlor biodegradation, but increased butachlor biodegradation. The biodegradation half-life of acetochlor and butachlor in soil alone, soil-SDBS mixtures and soil-HA mixtures were 4.6 d, 6.1 d and 5.4 d and 5.3 d, 4.9 d and 5.3 d respectively. The biodegradation products were hydroxyacetochlor and 2-methyl-6-ethylaniline for acetochlor, and hydroxybutachlor and 2,6-diethylaniline for butachlor.

Development on mini X-ray diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Shaoen; Sun Kexu; Peng Nengling; Huang Tianxuan; Cui Yanli; Yi Rongqing; Chen Jiusen

2004-01-01

The mini X-ray diode (M-XRD) was developed, and was used in mini soft X-ray spectrometer. Compared with traditional XRD, M-XRD's volume reduces to 1/30. M-XRD's property was experimentally examined on Shenguang II laser facility. The experimental results indicated that the temporal response and sensitivity of M-XRD are basically consistent with traditional XRD. The equivalent circuit of XRD was analyzed, and its response time and linear saturated current were calculated. (authors)

Mini Tracheostomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Evidence Based Proposal

Science.gov (United States)

Camacho, Macario; Zaghi, Soroush; Chang, Edward T.; Song, Sungjin A.; Szelestey, Blake; Certal, Victor

2016-01-01

Objective. To search for articles evaluating the use of tracheostomies (either permanent stomas or tracheostomy tubes) in adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and to evaluate the potential for the use of mini tracheostomies as treatment for OSA. Study Design. Systematic review. Methods. Nine databases were searched from inception through July 21, 2015. Results. The overall tracheostomy search yielded 516 articles, of which eighteen studies provided polysomnographic data. No study was identified (empty review) for the use of mini tracheostomies for treating OSA. The mini tracheostomy search yielded ninety-five articles which describe findings for either mini tracheostomy kits (inner cannula diameter of 4 mm) or the performance of mini tracheotomies. Six articles described the use of mini tracheostomies as a temporary procedure to relieve acute upper airway obstruction and none described the use for OSA. For tracheostomy stomal sites, suturing the skin directly to the tracheal rings with defatting can minimize stomal site collapse. The smallest tracheostomy stomal size that can successfully treat OSA has not been described. Conclusion. Mini tracheostomies as small as 4 mm have been successfully used in the short term to relieve upper airway obstruction. Given that polysomnography data are lacking, additional research is needed. PMID:26925105

Mini Tracheostomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Evidence Based Proposal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Macario Camacho

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To search for articles evaluating the use of tracheostomies (either permanent stomas or tracheostomy tubes in adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA patients and to evaluate the potential for the use of mini tracheostomies as treatment for OSA. Study Design. Systematic review. Methods. Nine databases were searched from inception through July 21, 2015. Results. The overall tracheostomy search yielded 516 articles, of which eighteen studies provided polysomnographic data. No study was identified (empty review for the use of mini tracheostomies for treating OSA. The mini tracheostomy search yielded ninety-five articles which describe findings for either mini tracheostomy kits (inner cannula diameter of 4 mm or the performance of mini tracheotomies. Six articles described the use of mini tracheostomies as a temporary procedure to relieve acute upper airway obstruction and none described the use for OSA. For tracheostomy stomal sites, suturing the skin directly to the tracheal rings with defatting can minimize stomal site collapse. The smallest tracheostomy stomal size that can successfully treat OSA has not been described. Conclusion. Mini tracheostomies as small as 4 mm have been successfully used in the short term to relieve upper airway obstruction. Given that polysomnography data are lacking, additional research is needed.

Revisiting the stability of mini-implants used for orthodontic anchorage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Chen Jane Yao

2015-11-01

Conclusion: This study revealed that once the dental surgeon becomes familiar with the procedure, the stability of orthodontic mini-implants depends on the type of mini-implant, age of the patient, implantation site, and the healing time of the mini-implant. Miniplates are a more feasible anchorage system when miniscrews fail repeatedly.

Berkeley mini-collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, L.S.

1984-06-01

The Berkeley Mini-Collider, a heavy-ion collider being planned to provide uranium-uranium collisions at T/sub cm/ less than or equal to 4 GeV/nucleon, is described. The central physics to be studied at these energies and our early ideas for a collider detector are presented

Perlindungan Hukum Hak Kekayaan Intelektual (Hki) Dalam Waralaba Retail Mini Market Di Yogyakarta Mini Market Di Yogyakarta

OpenAIRE

Hariyanto Hariyanto, S.H., M.KN

2009-01-01

The Law Protection Intellectual Property Right in Mini Market Retail Franchise in YogyakartaFranchise business is more happening in Indonesia. This fast development indicates an interesting investment which on the same time helps the business subjects in starting their own business with a low risk. The franchise business which commonly stable is retail business. One of retail business which serves the main needs and daily needs is mini market Alfamart and Indomaret.This research aims to ident...

Biodegradable lubricants - ''the solution for future?''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahan, A.

1997-01-01

The environmental impact of lubricants use concern the direct effects from spills but also the indirect effects such as their lifetime and the emissions from thermal engines. The biodegradable performances and the toxicity are the environmental criteria that must be taken into account in the development and application of lubricants together with their technical performances. This paper recalls first the definition of biodegradable properties of hydrocarbons and the standardized tests, in particular the CEC and AFNOR tests. Then, the biodegradable performances of basic oils (mineral, vegetal, synthetic esters, synthetic hydrocarbons etc..), finite lubricants (hydraulic fluids..) and engine oils is analyzed according to these tests. Finally, the definition of future standards would take into account all the environmental characteristics of the lubricant: biodegradable performances, energy balance (CO 2 , NOx and Hx emissions and fuel savings), eco-toxicity and technical performances (wearing and cleanliness). (J.S.)

Orthodontic mechanics using mini-implant measured by FBG

Science.gov (United States)

Trannin, Pamela G.; Milczewski, Maura S.; de Oliveira, Walmir; Guariza Filho, Odilon; Lopes, Stephani C. P. S.; Kalinowski, Hypolito J.

2015-07-01

The magnitude of the force generated during orthodontic mechanics anchored in mini-implant in a maxilla model was analyzed. Data was collected during the insertion of the mini-implant and at the moment of applying forces to the structure of the maxilla and dentition. To obtain quantitative results, the Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBG) were inserted in an elastomeric material reproducing a maxilla model. It was observed levels of forces of approximately 3,78N next to the root of first premolar by the insertion of the mini-implant and different levels of the force to different orthodontic mechanics applied on the dental system.

Biodegradation behaviors of cellulose nanocrystals -PVA nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Rohani

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In this research, biodegradation behaviors of cellulose nanocrystals-poly vinyl alcohol nanocomposites were investigated. Nanocomposite films with different filler loading levels (3, 6, 9 and 12% by wt were developed by solvent casting method. The effect of cellulose nanocrystals on the biodegradation behaviors of nanocomposite films was studied. Water absorption and water solubility tests were performed by immersing specimens into distilled water. The characteristic parameter of diffusion coefficient and maximum moisture content were determined from the obtained water absorption curves. The water absorption behavior of the nanocomposites was found to follow a Fickian behavior. The maximum water absorption and diffusion coefficients were decreased by increasing the cellulose nanocrystals contents, however the water solubility decrease. The biodegradability of the films was investigated by immersing specimens into cellulase enzymatic solution as well as by burial in soil. The results showed that adding cellulose nanocrystals increase the weight loss of specimens in enzymatic solution but decrease it in soil media. The limited biodegradability of specimens in soil media attributed to development of strong interactions with solid substrates that inhibit the accessibility of functional groups. Specimens with the low degree of hydrolysis underwent extensive biodegradation in both enzymatic and soil media, whilst specimens with the high degree of hydrolysis showed recalcitrance to biodegradation under those conditions.

Blendas PHB/copoliésteres biodegradáveis : biodegradação em solo Biodegradable PHB/copolyester blends : biodegradation in soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzan A. Casarin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho apresenta os resultados do comportamento de blendas do polímero biodegradável PHB poli(hidroxibutirato com os copoliésteres também biodegradáveis EastarBio® e Ecoflex®, na composição de 75% de PHB e 25% dos copoliésteres, em contato com solo composto simulado. Foi também avaliada a influência da adição de pó de serra ou farinha de madeira, na proporção de 70% da blenda e 30% de pó de serra (p.d.s.. A biodegradação foi avaliada para amostras após 30, 60 e 90 dias em contato com solo, através de análises gravimétricas, morfológicas e mecânicas. A preparação inicial dos grânulos dos compostos poliméricos foi feita por extrusão, utilizando uma extrusora dupla-rosca e a moldagem dos corpos de prova foi realizada através da moldagem por injeção. Os materiais estudados biodegradam nas condições testadas. A blenda PHB/EastarBio® (75/25 + 30% p.d.s. apresentou maior redução de massa, 29% após 90 dias. Notou-se que a biodegradação se inicia pela superfície do material e que 90 dias são insuficientes para observar alterações internas.This paper reports on blends made with the biodegradable polymers poly(hydroxybutyrate (PHB and Eastar Bio® or Ecoflex® copolyesters, in contact with simulated compound soil. The blends had 75% of PHB and 25% of copolyesters. We also analyzed the influence from adding 30% of powder-wood or wood flour (WPC to 70% of the blend. Biodegradation was analyzed for samples after 30, 60 and 90 days in contact with soil, through thermogravimetric, morphological and mechanical analyses. The initial preparation of the granules of polymeric compounds was made by extrusion, using a twin-screw extruder and the molding of the specimens was performed by injection molding. The analysis indicated material biodegradation under the conditions tested. The PHB/Eastar Bio® blend (75/25 + 30% WPC exhibited the highest degradation with 29% of mass loss at the end of 90 days. Biodegradation

Initial validation of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale: study of Portuguese end-of-life cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Filomena Moreira Pinto; Santos, Célia Samarina Vilaça de Brito

2014-10-01

The Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC) is a 29-item instrument designed to evaluate the responses developed by cancer patients during their mental adjustment to diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to validate the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC) translated and adapted to the Portuguese language and culture, in end-of-life cancer patients receiving palliative care. The instrument was administered to 346 Portuguese end-of-life cancer patients, receiving care through outpatient visits or admitted into palliative care units, without cognitive symptoms and with symptoms under control. A cross-sectional validation study using orthogonal rotation through the varimax method followed by convergent and discriminant validity. The analysis of the main components confirms the existence of five factors, demonstrating the validity of the construct, with good internal consistency in the subscales and Cronbach's alpha values between 0.78 and 0.93. Good test-retest reliability was also found, and r values for subscales ranged from 0.62 to 0.99. The instrument proved to be a reliable, valid and sensitive measure in the study of mental adjustment of Portuguese end-of-life patients with cancer receiving palliative care. Nurses can use the Mini-MAC Scale in research and clinical practice in order to evaluate the mental adjustment of Portuguese end-of-life cancer patients receiving palliative care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Critical evaluation of biodegradable polymers used in nanodrugs

Science.gov (United States)

Marin, Edgar; Briceño, Maria Isabel; Caballero-George, Catherina

2013-01-01

Use of biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications has increased in recent decades due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, flexibility, and minimal side effects. Applications of these materials include creation of skin, blood vessels, cartilage scaffolds, and nanosystems for drug delivery. These biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles enhance properties such as bioavailability and stability, and provide controlled release of bioactive compounds. This review evaluates the classification, synthesis, degradation mechanisms, and biological applications of the biodegradable polymers currently being studied as drug delivery carriers. In addition, the use of nanosystems to solve current drug delivery problems are reviewed. PMID:23990720

Biodegradation studies of diesel-contaminated soils and sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlauch, M.; Clark, D.

1992-01-01

Radian Corporation is currently remediating the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe Railway Superfund site in Clovis, New Mexico. Biodegradation of the petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and sediments was chosen as the remedial alternative. In order to evaluate the optimum conditions for full-scale bioremediation at this site, Radian designed and implemented various laboratory and field studies. The initial laboratory treatability study was conducted to determine if hydrocarbons in both soils and sediments could be biodegraded using indigenous microorganisms, and determine that the soil were biodegradable, while the sediments were not due to inhibitory factors. To further evaluate the biodegradability6 of the sediments, a laboratory study was initiated which introduced chloride-resistant microbes. The study showed that the sediment bioremediation was possibly by utilizing these microbes; however, the cost was not favorable. Finally, a field plot study was initiated to determine how soil biodegradation would proceed in field conditions, to optimize influencing factors such as moisture and nutrient levels and bioseed addition, and to investigate alternate methods of bioremediating the sediments. Results showed that hydrocarbons in the soils biodegraded much faster in the field than in the lab, and that hydrocarbons in sediments applied to biotreated soils containing acclimated microorganisms were successfully biodegraded

Maximum atmosphere at the Mini Atomiades

CERN Multimedia

Rachel Bray, Atomiades organizer team

2016-01-01

CERN Clubs Coordination Committee and CERN Staff Association host the ASCERI Mini Atomiades June 2016.   The CERN team won the tennis tournament for the Mini Atomiades 2016. (Photo: Erwin Van Hove) Over 180 participants from 10 different European Scientific Research Institutes came together on the first weekend of June in Divonne-les-Bains to take part in the ASCERI Sport & Science Mini Atomiades. Sports men and women from Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary, Russia and Switzerland battled it out in four different tournaments for medals, cups and, above all, lots of fun. The four disciplines included football, golf, tennis and a 10km race. CERN was victorious in tennis, golf and the men's and women's 10km, and despite the CERN football team putting up an excellent fight against some very strong teams they came almost last (we cannot win everything, can we?). But CERN were the clear winners for team spirit, community and camaraderie, as confirmed by all the comp...

Influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants

OpenAIRE

Chin-Yun Pan; Szu-Ting Chou; Yu-Chuan Tseng; Yi-Hsin Yang; Chao-Yi Wu; Ting-Hsun Lan; Pao-Hsin Liu; Hong-Po Chang

2012-01-01

This study evaluates the influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants by measuring the resonance frequency. Twenty-five orthodontic mini-implants with a diameter of 2 mm were used. The first group contained stainless steel mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm). The second group included titanium alloy mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm) and stainless steel mini-implants 10 mm in length. The mini-implants w...

Experimental studies of biodegradation of asphalt by microorganisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mine, Tatsuya; Mihara, Morihiro; Ooi, Takao; Lin, Kong-hua; Kawakami, Yasushi

2000-04-01

On the geological disposal system of the radioactive wastes, the activities of the microorganisms that could degrade the asphalt might be significant for the assessment of the system performance. As the main effects of the biodegradation of the asphalt, the fluctuation of leaching behavior of the nuclides included in asphalt waste has been indicated. In this study, the asphalt biodegradation test was carried out. The microorganism of which asphalt degradation ability was comparatively higher under aerobic condition and anaerobic condition was used. The asphalt biodegradation rate was calculated and it was evaluated whether the asphalt biodegradation in this system could occur. The results show that the asphalt biodegradation rate under anaerobic and high alkali condition will be 300 times lower than under aerobic and neutral pH. (author)

Biodegradable Shape Memory Polymers in Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Gregory I; Dobrynin, Andrey V; Becker, Matthew L

2017-11-01

Shape memory materials have emerged as an important class of materials in medicine due to their ability to change shape in response to a specific stimulus, enabling the simplification of medical procedures, use of minimally invasive techniques, and access to new treatment modalities. Shape memory polymers, in particular, are well suited for such applications given their excellent shape memory performance, tunable materials properties, minimal toxicity, and potential for biodegradation and resorption. This review provides an overview of biodegradable shape memory polymers that have been used in medical applications. The majority of biodegradable shape memory polymers are based on thermally responsive polyesters or polymers that contain hydrolyzable ester linkages. These materials have been targeted for use in applications pertaining to embolization, drug delivery, stents, tissue engineering, and wound closure. The development of biodegradable shape memory polymers with unique properties or responsiveness to novel stimuli has the potential to facilitate the optimization and development of new medical applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mass transfer analysis for terephthalic acid biodegradation by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biodegradation of terephthalic acid (TA) by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-alginate immobilized Pseudomonas sp. was carried out in a packed-bed reactor. The effect of inlet TA concentration on biodegradation was investigated at 30°C, pH 7 and flow rate of 20 ml/min. The effects of flow rate on mass transfer and biodegradation ...

Biodegradation of clofibric acid and identification of its metabolites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salgado, R.; Oehmen, A.; Carvalho, G.; Noronha, J.P.; Reis, M.A.M.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Metabolites produced during clofibric acid biodegradation. Highlights: ► Clofibric acid is biodegradable. ► Mainly heterotrophic bacteria degraded the clofibric acid. ► Metabolites of clofibric acid biodegradation were identified. ► The metabolic pathway of clofibric acid biodegradation is proposed. - Abstract: Clofibric acid (CLF) is the pharmaceutically active metabolite of lipid regulators clofibrate, etofibrate and etofyllinclofibrate, and it is considered both environmentally persistent and refractory. This work studied the biotransformation of CLF in aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with mixed microbial cultures, monitoring the efficiency of biotransformation of CLF and the production of metabolites. The maximum removal achieved was 51% biodegradation (initial CLF concentration = 2 mg L −1 ), where adsorption and abiotic removal mechanisms were shown to be negligible, showing that CLF is indeed biodegradable. Tests showed that the observed CLF biodegradation was mainly carried out by heterotrophic bacteria. Three main metabolites were identified, including α-hydroxyisobutyric acid, lactic acid and 4-chlorophenol. The latter is known to exhibit higher toxicity than the parent compound, but it did not accumulate in the SBRs. α-Hydroxyisobutyric acid and lactic acid accumulated for a period, where nitrite accumulation may have been responsible for inhibiting their degradation. A metabolic pathway for the biodegradation of CLF is proposed in this study.

Impact of implant design on primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilmes, Benedict; Ottenstreuer, Stephanie; Su, Yu-Yu; Drescher, Dieter

2008-01-01

Skeletal anchorage with mini-implants has greatly broadened the treatment possibilities in orthodontics over the last few years. To reduce implant failure rates, it is advisable to obtain adequate primary stability. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze the impact of implant design and dimension on primary stability. Forty-two porcine iliac bone segments were prepared and embedded in resin. To evaluate the primary stability, we documented insertion torques of the following mini-implants: Aarhus Screw, AbsoAnchor, LOMAS, Micro-Anchorage-System, ORLUS and Spider Screw. In each bone, five Dual Top Screws were inserted for reference purposes to achieve comparability among the specimens. We observed wide variation in insertion torques and hence primary stability, depending on mini-implant design and dimension; the great impact that mini-implant diameter has on insertion torques was particularly conspicuous. Conical mini-implants achieved higher primary stabilities than cylindrical designs. The diameter and design of the mini-implant thread have a distinctive impact on primary stability. Depending on the region of insertion and local bone quality, the choice of the mini-implant design and size is crucial to establish sufficient primary stability.

Degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastic by Pleurotus ostreatus.

Science.gov (United States)

da Luz, José Maria Rodrigues; Paes, Sirlaine Albino; Nunes, Mateus Dias; da Silva, Marliane de Cássia Soares; Kasuya, Maria Catarina Megumi

2013-01-01

Growing concerns regarding the impact of the accumulation of plastic waste over several decades on the environmental have led to the development of biodegradable plastic. These plastics can be degraded by microorganisms and absorbed by the environment and are therefore gaining public support as a possible alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Among the developed biodegradable plastics, oxo-biodegradable polymers have been used to produce plastic bags. Exposure of this waste plastic to ultraviolet light (UV) or heat can lead to breakage of the polymer chains in the plastic, and the resulting compounds are easily degraded by microorganisms. However, few studies have characterized the microbial degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastics. In this study, we tested the capability of Pleurotus ostreatus to degrade oxo-biodegradable (D2W) plastic without prior physical treatment, such as exposure to UV or thermal heating. After 45 d of incubation in substrate-containing plastic bags, the oxo-biodegradable plastic, which is commonly used in supermarkets, developed cracks and small holes in the plastic surface as a result of the formation of hydroxyl groups and carbon-oxygen bonds. These alterations may be due to laccase activity. Furthermore, we observed the degradation of the dye found in these bags as well as mushroom formation. Thus, P. ostreatus degrades oxo-biodegradable plastics and produces mushrooms using this plastic as substrate.

Degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastic by Pleurotus ostreatus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Maria Rodrigues da Luz

Full Text Available Growing concerns regarding the impact of the accumulation of plastic waste over several decades on the environmental have led to the development of biodegradable plastic. These plastics can be degraded by microorganisms and absorbed by the environment and are therefore gaining public support as a possible alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Among the developed biodegradable plastics, oxo-biodegradable polymers have been used to produce plastic bags. Exposure of this waste plastic to ultraviolet light (UV or heat can lead to breakage of the polymer chains in the plastic, and the resulting compounds are easily degraded by microorganisms. However, few studies have characterized the microbial degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastics. In this study, we tested the capability of Pleurotus ostreatus to degrade oxo-biodegradable (D2W plastic without prior physical treatment, such as exposure to UV or thermal heating. After 45 d of incubation in substrate-containing plastic bags, the oxo-biodegradable plastic, which is commonly used in supermarkets, developed cracks and small holes in the plastic surface as a result of the formation of hydroxyl groups and carbon-oxygen bonds. These alterations may be due to laccase activity. Furthermore, we observed the degradation of the dye found in these bags as well as mushroom formation. Thus, P. ostreatus degrades oxo-biodegradable plastics and produces mushrooms using this plastic as substrate.

Degradation of Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic by Pleurotus ostreatus

Science.gov (United States)

da Luz, José Maria Rodrigues; Paes, Sirlaine Albino; Nunes, Mateus Dias; da Silva, Marliane de Cássia Soares; Kasuya, Maria Catarina Megumi

2013-01-01

Growing concerns regarding the impact of the accumulation of plastic waste over several decades on the environmental have led to the development of biodegradable plastic. These plastics can be degraded by microorganisms and absorbed by the environment and are therefore gaining public support as a possible alternative to petroleum-derived plastics. Among the developed biodegradable plastics, oxo-biodegradable polymers have been used to produce plastic bags. Exposure of this waste plastic to ultraviolet light (UV) or heat can lead to breakage of the polymer chains in the plastic, and the resulting compounds are easily degraded by microorganisms. However, few studies have characterized the microbial degradation of oxo-biodegradable plastics. In this study, we tested the capability of Pleurotus ostreatus to degrade oxo-biodegradable (D2W) plastic without prior physical treatment, such as exposure to UV or thermal heating. After 45 d of incubation in substrate-containing plastic bags, the oxo-biodegradable plastic, which is commonly used in supermarkets, developed cracks and small holes in the plastic surface as a result of the formation of hydroxyl groups and carbon-oxygen bonds. These alterations may be due to laccase activity. Furthermore, we observed the degradation of the dye found in these bags as well as mushroom formation. Thus, P. ostreatus degrades oxo-biodegradable plastics and produces mushrooms using this plastic as substrate. PMID:23967057

Biodegradability of polyurethane/polysaccharide blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mothe, Cheila G.; Leite, Selma G.

2001-01-01

Biodegradable polymers for use in environmental waste-management has been the subject of much discussion over the last few years. Polyurethane mixtures with polysaccharide (80/20 and 90/10 w/w ) have been prepared and films obtained. These films were inoculated, according to ASTM G22-76 rule and analysed by thermogravimetry and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results are discussed in terms of thermal degradation and biodegradability. (author)

Diversity of Cellulolytic Microbes and the Biodegradation of Municipal Solid Waste by a Potential Strain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. P. Gautam

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Municipal solid waste contains high amounts of cellulose, which is an ideal organic waste for the growth of most of microorganism as well as composting by potential microbes. In the present study, Congo red test was performed for screening of microorganism, and, after selecting a potential strains, it was further used for biodegradation of organic municipal solid waste. Forty nine out of the 250 different microbes tested (165 belong to fungi and 85 to bacteria produced cellulase enzyme and among these Trichoderma viride was found to be a potential strain in the secondary screening. During the biodegradation of organic waste, after 60 days, the average weight losses were 20.10% in the plates and 33.35% in the piles. There was an increase in pH until 20 days. pH however, stabilized after 30 days in the piles. Temperature also stabilized as the composting process progressed in the piles. The high temperature continued until 30 days of decomposition, after which the temperature dropped to 40°C and below during the maturation. Good quality compost was obtained in 60 days.

Effect of Recycling Protocol on Mechanical Strength of Used Mini-Implants

OpenAIRE

Estelita, Sérgio; Janson, Guilherme; Chiqueto, Kelly; Ferreira, Eduardo Silveira

2014-01-01

Purpose. This study evaluated the influence of recycling process on the torsional strength of mini-implants. Materials and Methods. Two hundred mini-implants were divided into 4 groups with 50 screws equally distributed in five diameters (1.3 to 1.7 mm): control group (CG): unused mini-implants, G1: mini-implants inserted in pig iliac bone and removed, G2: same protocol of group 1 followed by sonication for cleaning and autoclave sterilization, and G3: same insertion protocol of group 1 follo...

Mini-mental Parkinson (MMP) as a dementia screening test: comparison with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Science.gov (United States)

Larner, Andrew J

2012-07-01

As populations age, screening instruments for cognitive impairment and dementia will become of increasing importance in clinical practice. Mini-Mental Parkinson (MMP), a derivative of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), was originally described as a cognitive screening instrument for use in Parkinson's disease. Its item content addresses some of the acknowledged shortcomings of the MMSE. Pragmatic use of MMP in general cognitive clinics has not previously been examined. To compare the performance of two scales, Mini-Mental Parkinson (MMP) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), as cognitive screening instruments for dementia in a memory clinic population. MMP was administered prospectively to 201 consecutive new patient referrals independent of other tests used to establish dementia diagnosis according to standard diagnostic criteria (DSM-IV). Diagnostic utility of MMP for dementia was measured and compared with MMSE. MMP proved easy to use and acceptable to patients. Optimal test accuracy (0.86) was at MMP cutoff of ≤ 17/32, with sensitivity 0.51, specificity 0.97, positive predictive value 0.83, negative predictive value 0.87, and area under Receiver Operating Characteristic curve 0.89. Using a higher cutoff (≤ 29/32), MMP sensitivity was 1.00 with specificity 0.70. MMP scores correlated with MMSE (r = 0.93) and diagnostic agreement was high (κ = 0.85). MMP is a useful screening instrument in the memory clinic setting, with patients who fall below the designated cutoff requiring further investigation to ascertain a cause for their cognitive impairment.

Mini-clinical evaluation exercise til evaluering af kommunikation og samarbejde i ambulatoriet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Jesper Grau; Simonsen, Dorit; Bastholt, Lars

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: In the revised Danish medical specialist training increased focus has been placed on competences which are hard to evaluate such as communication skills. Mini-CEX seems promising as an evaluation tool. Our aim was to test: 1) whether mini-CEX was useable in the evaluation...... of communicative and cooperative skills and 2) whether mini-CEX would provide reproducible data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-one residents were evaluated by mini-CEX by trained observers. Seventeen residents had at least two observations within a short period of time and these data were used to estimate the mini...

Biodegradation of clofibric acid and identification of its metabolites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salgado, R. [REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); ESTS-IPS, Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Setubal do Instituto Politecnico de Setubal, Rua Vale de Chaves, Campus do IPS, Estefanilha, 2910-761 Setubal (Portugal); Oehmen, A. [REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Carvalho, G. [REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnologica (IBET), Av. da Republica (EAN), 2784-505 Oeiras (Portugal); Noronha, J.P. [REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Reis, M.A.M., E-mail: amr@fct.unl.pt [REQUIMTE/CQFB, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2012-11-30

Graphical abstract: Metabolites produced during clofibric acid biodegradation. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Clofibric acid is biodegradable. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mainly heterotrophic bacteria degraded the clofibric acid. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Metabolites of clofibric acid biodegradation were identified. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The metabolic pathway of clofibric acid biodegradation is proposed. - Abstract: Clofibric acid (CLF) is the pharmaceutically active metabolite of lipid regulators clofibrate, etofibrate and etofyllinclofibrate, and it is considered both environmentally persistent and refractory. This work studied the biotransformation of CLF in aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with mixed microbial cultures, monitoring the efficiency of biotransformation of CLF and the production of metabolites. The maximum removal achieved was 51% biodegradation (initial CLF concentration = 2 mg L{sup -1}), where adsorption and abiotic removal mechanisms were shown to be negligible, showing that CLF is indeed biodegradable. Tests showed that the observed CLF biodegradation was mainly carried out by heterotrophic bacteria. Three main metabolites were identified, including {alpha}-hydroxyisobutyric acid, lactic acid and 4-chlorophenol. The latter is known to exhibit higher toxicity than the parent compound, but it did not accumulate in the SBRs. {alpha}-Hydroxyisobutyric acid and lactic acid accumulated for a period, where nitrite accumulation may have been responsible for inhibiting their degradation. A metabolic pathway for the biodegradation of CLF is proposed in this study.

Mini-conference and Related Sessions on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hantao Ji

2004-01-01

This paper provides a summary of some major physics issues and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics. This Mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics 2003 Annual Meeting (October 27-31, 2003). Also included are brief summaries of selected talks on the same topic presented at two invited paper sessions (including a tutorial) and two contributed focus oral sessions, which were organized in coordination with the Mini-Conference by the same organizers

Mini-conference and Related Sessions on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hantao Ji

2004-02-27

This paper provides a summary of some major physics issues and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics. This Mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics 2003 Annual Meeting (October 27-31, 2003). Also included are brief summaries of selected talks on the same topic presented at two invited paper sessions (including a tutorial) and two contributed focus oral sessions, which were organized in coordination with the Mini-Conference by the same organizers.

Screening for Dementia in Older Adults: Comparison of Mini-Mental State Examination, Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing Test and AD8.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Li; Yan, Jing; Jin, Xiaoqing; Jin, Yu; Yu, Wei; Xu, Shanhu; Wu, Haibin

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to estimate screening performance of dementia screening tools including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and Ascertain Dementia 8 questionnaire (AD8) for older adults. 2015 participants aged 65 years or more in eastern China were enrolled. 4 screening tests were administered and scored by specifically trained psychiatrists. We used data from two-by-two tables to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV/NPV). Our study showed that dementia was highly prevalent among elderly in Zhejiang province. The Mini-Cog, with excellent screening characteristics and spending less time, could be considered to be used as a screening tool among communities to help to diagnose dementia early.

Silica in situ enhanced PVA/chitosan biodegradable films for food packages.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhen; Li, Baoqiang; Chu, Jiayu; Zhang, Peifeng

2018-03-15

Non-degradable plastic food packages threaten the security of environment. The cost-effective and biodegradable polymer films with good mechanical properties and low permeability are very important for food packages. Among of biodegradable polymers, PVA/chitosan (CS) biodegradable films have attracted considerable attention because of feasible film forming ability. However, PVA/CS biodegradable films suffered from poor mechanical properties. To improve mechanical properties of PVA/CS biodegradable films, we developed SiO 2 in situ to enhance PVA/CS biodegradable films via hydrolysis of sodium metasilicate in presence of PVA and chitosan solution. The tensile strength of PVA/CS biodegradable films was improved 45% when 0.6 wt.% SiO 2 was incorporated into the films. Weight loss of PVA/CS biodegradable films was 60% after 30 days in the soil. The permeability of oxygen and moisture of PVA/CS biodegradable films was reduced by 25.6% and 10.2%, respectively. SiO 2 in situ enhanced PVA/CS biodegradable films possessed not only excellent mechanical properties, but also barrier of oxygen and water for food packages to extend the perseveration time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of biodegradable styrene copolymers

OpenAIRE

Gevers, Dries; Kobben, Stephan; Junkers, Tanja; Copinet, Alain; Buntinx, Mieke; Peeters, Roos

2017-01-01

Polystyrene (PS), a versatile polymer with many applications (e.g. packaging) representing about 10% of the total annual polymer consumption, shows practically no biodegradability. In this study a styrene (ST) based copolymer is synthesized and examined regarding its ability to degrade in a composting test. As second monomer, to introduce biodegradable ester groups, 5,6-benzo-2-metylene-dioxepane (BMDO) has been used in radical copolymerization reactions performed in inert and stirred 10 m...

Comparison of the efficacy of biodegradable and non-biodegradable scintillation liquids on the counting of tritium- and [14C]-labeled compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medeiros R.B.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The widespread use of ³H and 14C in research has generated a large volume of waste mixed with scintillation liquid, requiring an effective control and appropriate storage of liquid radioactive waste. In the present study, we compared the efficacy of three commercially available scintillation liquids, Optiphase HiSafe 3, Ultima-Gold(TM AB (biodegradable and Insta-Gel-XF (non-biodegradable, in terms of [14C]-glucose and [³H]-thymidine counting efficiency. We also analyzed the effect of the relative amount of water (1.6 to 50%, radioisotope concentration (0.1 to 100 nCi/ml, pH (2 to 10 and color of the solutions (samples containing 0.1 to 1.0 mg/ml of Trypan blue on the counting efficiency in the presence of these scintillation liquids. There were few significant differences in the efficiency of 14C and ³H counting obtained with biodegradable or non-biodegradable scintillation liquids. However, there was an 83 and 94% reduction in the efficiency of 14C and ³H counting, respectively, in samples colored with 1 mg/ml Trypan blue, but not with 0.1 mg/ml, independent of the scintillation liquid used. Considering the low cost of biodegradable scintillation cocktails and their efficacy, these results show that traditional hazardous scintillation fluids may be replaced with the new safe biodegradable fluids without impairment of ³H and 14C counting efficiency. The use of biodegradable scintillation cocktails minimizes both human and environmental exposure to hazardous solvents. In addition, some biodegradable scintillation liquids can be 40% less expensive than the traditional hazardous cocktails.

Measuring postural control during mini-squat posture in men with early knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrella, M; Gramani-Say, K; Serrão, P R M S; Lessi, G C; Barela, J A; Carvalho, R P; Mattiello, S M

2017-04-01

Studies have suggested a compromised postural control in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) evidenced by larger and faster displacement of center of pressure (COP). However, quantification of postural control in the mini-squat posture performed by patients with early knee OA and its relation to muscle strength and self-reported symptoms have not been investigated. The main aim of this cross-sectional, observational, controlled study was to determine whether postural control in the mini-squat posture differs between individuals with early knee OA and a control group (CG) and verify the relation among knee extensor torque (KET) and self-reported physical function, stiffness and pain. Twenty four individuals with knee OA grades I and II (OAG) (mean age: 52.35±5.00) and twenty subjects without knee injuries (CG) (mean age: 51.40±8.07) participated in this study. Participants were assessed in postural control through a force plate (Bertec Mod. USA), which provided information about the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) COP displacement during the mini-squat, in isometric, concentric and eccentric knee extensor torque (KET) (90°/s) through an isokinetic dynamometer (BiodexMulti-Joint System3, Biodex Medical Incorporation, New York, NY, USA), and in self-reported symptoms through the WOMAC questionnaire. The main outcomes measured were the AP and ML COP amplitude and velocity of displacement; isometric, concentric, and eccentric KET and self-reported physical function, stiffness and pain. No significant differences were found between groups for postural control (p>0.05). Significant lower eccentric KET (p=0.01) and higher scores for the WOMAC subscales of pain (p=postural instability and the need to include quadriceps muscle strengthening, especially by eccentric contractions. The relationship between the self-reported symptoms and a lower and slower COP displacement suggest that the postural control strategy during tasks with a semi-flexed knee

Systemic levels of metallic ions released from orthodontic mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

de Morais, Liliane Siqueira; Serra, Glaucio Guimarães; Albuquerque Palermo, Elisabete Fernandes; Andrade, Leonardo Rodrigues; Müller, Carlos Alberto; Meyers, Marc André; Elias, Carlos Nelson

2009-04-01

Orthodontic mini-implants are a potential source of metallic ions to the human body because of the corrosion of titanium (Ti) alloy in body fluids. The purpose of this study was to gauge the concentration of Ti, aluminum (Al), and vanadium (V), as a function of time, in the kidneys, livers, and lungs of rabbits that had Ti-6Al-4V alloy orthodontic mini-implants placed in their tibia. Twenty-three New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. Four orthodontic mini-implants were placed in the left proximal tibia of 18 rabbits. Five control rabbits had no orthodontic mini-implants. After 1, 4, and 12 weeks, the rabbits were killed, and the selected tissues were extracted and prepared for analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Low amounts of Ti, Al, and V were detectable in the 1-week, 4-weeks, and 12-weeks groups, confirming that release of these metals from the mini-implants occurs, with diffusion and accumulation in remote organs. Despite the tendency of ion release when using the Ti alloy as orthodontic mini-implants, the amounts of metals detected were significantly below the average intake of these elements through food and drink and did not reach toxic concentrations.

Influence of pretreatment on efficiency of bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elektorowicz, M.; Hadjinicolaou, J.; Yong, R.N.; St-Cyr, M.

1992-01-01

Biodegradation has been selected as a technique to treat a Montreal site which was contaminated by oil pipeline spills. A 2500 m 3 volume of soil was excavated and stored in piles. Three large closed cells were then constructed for use in on-site biodegradation of the soil. Before proceeding with the on-site biodegradation, a feasibility study was conducted in the laboratory using 20 kg of soil placed in mini-reactors for 188 d of biodegradation at ambient temperature. Before biodegradation began, the soil in certain of the mini-reactors was pretreated by comminuting gravel pieces larger than 0.5 cm in diameter and by mixing the soil with sawdust and nutrients. At predetermined intervals, the soils were analyzed at various locations in the mini-reactors for such parameters as oil and grease concentrations, organic matter content, Kjeldahl nitrogen, humidity, phosphorus, and metals. Emissions of volatile organic compounds and CO 2 were also measured. The mean decrease in oil and grease concentration was found to be 89%. No decrease was noted in those soils that had not been pretreated with sawdust and nutrients. An increase in soil pH was noted up to the 50th day of biodegradation, after which the pH decreased gradually. The feasibility study shows the influence of the addition of sawdust on one of the most important environmental parameters during the course of biodegradation: the pH value. Increase in pH can decrease or stop the activity of soil microorganisms. 11 refs., 6 figs

Measuring mental health in the clinical setting: what is important to service users? The Mini-Service user Recovery Evaluation scale (Mini-SeRvE).

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, Joanna M; Parsons, Helen; Wilson, Carol A; Cook, Christopher C H

2017-12-01

Since 2001, a policy of positive mental health recovery has been promoted in the UK, with service user involvement. This has not been easy to implement in the clinical setting. To develop and validate a brief self-report, service user-designed, outcome measure (Mini-SeRvE), for clinical use, including spiritual and religious issues. From the previously developed Service user Recovery Evaluation scale (SeRvE), 15 questions were selected for Mini-SeRvE which was self-completed by 207 people; 100 service users and, for comparison, 107 staff. Results were analysed using SPSS software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Mini-SeRvE is reliable, Cronbach's alpha 0.852. Correlation with another recovery scale, Mental Health Recovery Measure, was high, r = 0.819. Three reliable subscales emerged; existential well-being (EWB), mental ill-being (MIB) and religious well-being (RWB). Scores of the EWB and MIB subscales were higher for staff, consistent with higher mental well-being. Religious well-being scores were higher in service users, who also rated religion as more important to them. Mini-SeRvE is a valid measure of service user recovery. The importance of religion/spiritual belief for our users is highlighted, this being reflected in the subject matter of Mini-SeRvE. Mini-SeRvE assessments could show individual priorities, evaluate therapy and aid clinical decision-making.

Characterization of biodegradation intermediates of nonionic surfactants by MALDI-MS. 2. Oxidative biodegradation profiles of uniform octylphenol polyethoxylate in 18O-labeled water.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Hiroaki; Shibata, Atsushi; Wang, Yang; Yoshikawa, Hiromichi; Tamura, Hiroto

2003-01-01

This paper reports the characterization of the biodegradation intermediates of octylphenol octaethoxylate (OP(8)EO) by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The biodegradation test study was carried out in a pure culture (Pseudomonas putida S-5) under aerobic conditions using OP(8)EO as the sole carbon source and (18)O-labeled water as an incubation medium. In the MALDI-MS spectra of biodegraded samples, a series of OP(n)EO molecules with n = 2-8 EO units and their corresponding carboxylic acid products (OP(n)EC) were observed. The use of purified OP(8)EO enabled one to distinguish the shortened OPEO molecules as biodegradation intermediates. Furthermore, the formation of OP(8)EC (the oxidized product of OP(8)EO) supported the notion that terminal oxidation is a step in the biodegradation process. When biodegradation study was carried out in (18)O-labeled water, incorporation of (18)O atoms into the carboxyl group was observed for OPEC, while no incorporation was observed for the shortened OPEO products. These results could provide some rationale to the biodegradation mechanism of alkylphenol polyethoxylates.

Research regarding biodegradable properties of food polymeric products under microorganism activity

Science.gov (United States)

Opran, Constantin; Lazar, Veronica; Fierascu, Radu Claudiu; Ditu, Lia Mara

2018-02-01

Aim of this research is the structural analysis by comparison of the biodegradable properties of two polymeric products made by non-biodegradable polymeric material (polypropylene TIPPLEN H949 A) and biodegradable polymeric material (ECOVIO IS 1335), under microorganism activity in order to give the best solution for the manufacture of food packaging biodegradable products. It presents the results of experimental determinations on comparative analysis of tensile strength for the two types of polymers. The sample weight variations after fungal biodegradation activity revealed that, after 3 months, there are no significant changes in polymeric substratum for non-biodegradable polymeric. The microscopically analysis showed that the fungal filaments did not strongly adhered on the non-biodegradable polymeric material, instead, both filamentous fungi strains adhered and covered the surface of the biodegradable sample with germinated filamentous conidia. The spectral analysis of polymer composition revealed that non-biodegradable polymer polypropylene spectra are identical for control and for samples that were exposed to fungal activity, suggesting that this type of sample was not degraded by the fungi strains. Instead, for biodegradable polymer sample, it was observed significant structural changes across multiple absorption bands, suggesting enzyme activity manifested mainly by Aspergillus niger strain. Structural analysis of interdisciplinary research results, lead, to achieving optimal injection molded technology emphasizing technological parameters, in order to obtain food packaging biodegradable products.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah sebagai Bagian dari Fenomena Taman Budaya Dunia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anak Agung Ayu Wulandari

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Cultural display in an open space or known as cultural parks appears rapidly as a worldwide phenomenon. From the European model which has a strong educational value, to the Asian parks which not only has educational function, but also has recreational purposes. So many types and characteristics of these parks, researches give them different names, thodse are Open-air museums, Ethnographic Theme Parks or even Theme Parks. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah as a part of this phenomenon was built first and foremost for educational purposes, therefore Taman Mini can be considered as an open-air museum. However, since Taman Mini also has recreational purposes, others can argue that Taman Mini is a theme park. Qualitative method will be used for this research, through observation to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, followed by extensive literature review. With these data along with a table which points out the distinction between museum and theme parks. It can  be concluded that Taman Mini is a Theme Park.   

Refining MARGINS Mini-Lessons Using Classroom Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Iverson, E. A.; Manduca, C. A.; McDaris, J. R.; Lee, S.

2009-12-01

One of the challenges that we face in developing teaching materials or activities from research findings is testing the materials to determine that they work as intended. Traditionally faculty develop material for their own class, notice what worked and didn’t, and improve them the next year. However, as we move to a community process of creating and sharing teaching materials, a community-based process for testing materials is appropriate. The MARGINS project has piloted such a process for testing teaching materials and activities developed as part of its mini-lesson project (http://serc.carleton.edu/margins/index.html). Building on prior work developing mechanisms for community review of teaching resources (e.g. Kastens, 2002; Hancock and Manduca, 2005; Mayhew and Hall, 2007), the MARGINS evaluation team developed a structured classroom observation protocol. The goals of field testing are to a) gather structured, consistent feedback for the lesson authors based on classroom use; b) guide reviewers of these lessons to reflect on research-based educational practice as a framework for their comments; c) collect information on the data and observations that the reviewer used to underpin their review; d) determine which mini-lessons are ready to be made widely available on the website. The protocol guides faculty observations on why they used the activity, the effectiveness of the activity in their classroom, the success of the activity in leading to the desired learning, and what other faculty need to successfully use the activity. Available online (http://serc.carleton.edu/margins/protocol.html), the protocol can be downloaded and completed during instruction with the activity. In order to encourage review of mini-lessons using the protocol, a workshop focused on review and revision of activities was held in May 2009. In preparation for the workshop, 13 of the 28 participants chose to field test a mini-lesson prior to the workshop and reported that they found this

[Progress on biodegradation of polylactic acid--a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fan; Wang, Sha; Liu, Weifeng; Chen, Guanjun

2008-02-01

Polylactic acid is a high molecular-weight polyester made from renewable resources such as corn or starch. It is a promising biodegradable plastic due to its mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability. To achieve natural recycling of polylactic acid, relative microorganisms and the underlying mechanisms in the biodegradation has become an important issue in biodegradable materials. Up to date, most isolated microbes capable of degrading polylactic acid belong to actinomycetes. Proteases secreted by these microorganisms are responsible for the degradation. However, subtle differences exist between these polylactic acid degrading enzymes and typical proteases with respect to substrate binding and catalysis. Amino acids relative to catalysis are postulated to be highly plastic allowing their catalytic hydrolysis of polylactic acid. In this paper we reviewed current studies on biodegradation of polylactic acid concerning its microbial, enzymatic reactions and the possible mechanisms. We also discussed the probability of biologically recycling PLA by applying highly efficient strains and enzymes.

Primary biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Comber, M.I.H.; Den Haan, K.H.; Djemel, N.; Eadsforth, C.V.; King, D.; Paumen, M.L.; Parkerton, T.; Dmytrasz, B.

2012-12-15

This report describes primary biodegradation experiments performed to determine the persistence of higher molecular weight petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater. Results from the biodegradation experiments show that the majority of tested petroleum hydrocarbons have half-lives in seawater less than 60 days.

Simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation of synthetic melanoidin

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Being an antioxidant, melanoidin removal through purely biodegradation has been inadequate. Consequently, in the current study, simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation (SAB) was employed in a stirred tank system to remove melanoidin from synthetic wastewater. Mixed microbial consortium was immobilized onto ...

Oil biodegradation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rahsepar, Shokouhalsadat; Langenhoff, Alette A.M.; Smit, Martijn P.J.; Eenennaam, van Justine S.; Murk, Tinka; Rijnaarts, Huub H.M.

2017-01-01

During the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill, interactions between oil, clay particles and marine snow lead to the formation of aggregates. Interactions between these components play an important, but yet not well understood, role in biodegradation of oil in the ocean water. The aim of this study

Complete overdentures retained by mini implants: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemos, Cleidiel Aparecido Araujo; Verri, Fellippo Ramos; Batista, Victor Eduardo de Souza; Júnior, Joel Ferreira Santiago; Mello, Caroline Cantieri; Pellizzer, Eduardo Piza

2017-02-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the use of mini implants to retain complete overdentures in terms of survival rates of mini implants, marginal bone loss, satisfaction, and quality of life. This report followed the PRISMA Statement and PICO question. This review has been registered at PROSPERO under the number CRD42016036141. Two independent reviewers performed a comprehensive search of studies published until September 2016 and listed in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library databases. The focused question was: is the use of mini implants feasible for prosthodontic rehabilitation with complete overdentures? The 24 studies selected for review evaluated 1273 patients whose mean age was 65.93 years; these patients had received 2494 mini implants and 386 standard implants for retaining overdenture prosthesis. The mean follow-up time was 2.48 years (range: 1-7 years). There was a higher survival rate of mini implants (92.32%). More frequent failures for maxillary (31.71%) compared with mandibular arches (4.89%). The majority of studies revealed marginal bone loss values similar to those of standard implants (overdenture prosthesis is considered an alternative treatment when standard treatment is not possible, since it presents high survival rates, acceptable marginal bone loss, and improvements in variables related to satisfaction and quality of life. Based on the results of this study, the use of a minimum 4 and 6 mini implants can be considered a satisfactory treatment option for rehabilitation of the mandibular and maxillary arches respectively with a complete overdenture. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mini-implantes ortodônticos como auxiliares da fase de retração anterior Orthodontic mini-implants assisting the anterior retraction phase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlo Marassi

2008-10-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: os mini-implantes ortodônticos se estabeleceram como um importante método de ancoragem e vêm auxiliando os ortodontistas nas várias etapas do tratamento ortodôntico, eliminando, em grande parte, a necessidade de colaboração dos pacientes e tornando os resultados mais previsíveis. OBJETIVO: este artigo descreve os principais aspectos do uso dos mini-implantes como auxiliares da fase de retração anterior, trazendo considerações sobre suas indicações, quantidade de movimentação dos dentes anteriores, os vetores de força de retração, o controle vertical, o posicionamento dos mini-implantes, os tipos de apoio na região anterior e a força a ser utilizada. São citados os sítios de instalação mais usados para a retração anterior e abordados fatores que deverão ser controlados durante o fechamento de espaço. Por fim, são citadas algumas considerações clínicas sobre o uso dos mini-implantes nessa importante fase do tratamento ortodôntico.INTRODUCTION: The use of orthodontic mini-implants has settled as an important anchorage method and is aiding the orthodontists in the several stages of the treatment, largely eliminating the need of patients' compliance, and turning the results more predictable. AIM: This article describes the main aspects of the use of mini-implants as auxiliaries on the retraction phase of the anterior teeth, bringing considerations about their indications, amount of movement of the anterior teeth, the vectors of retraction force, the vertical control and evaluation of the incisors vestibulolingual tipping, the positioning of the mini-implants, the support types in the anterior area and the force to be applied. The placement sites best used for the anterior retraction are mentioned, and the factors that should be controlled during the space closure are approached. Lastly, some clinical considerations on the use of mini-implants in such important phase of the orthodontic treatment are

State-of-the-art of biodegradable composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baley, Ch.; Grohens, Y.; Pillin, I.

2004-01-01

Nowadays, the market demand for environment friendly materials is in strong growth. The biodegradable composites (biodegradable fibres and polymers) mainly extracted from renewable resources will be a major contributor to the production of new industrial high performance products partially solving the problem of waste management. At the end of the lifetime, a structural bio-composite could be be crushed and recycled through a controlled industrial composting process. This the state-of-the-art report focuses on the biopolymers the vegetable fibres properties, the mechanisms of biodegradation and the examples of biodegradable composites. Eco-design of new products requires these new materials for which a life cycle analysis is nevertheless necessary to validate their environmental benefits. (authors)

The Mini-Cog versus the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Clock Drawing Test in daily clinical practice: screening value in a German Memory Clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Milian, Monika; Leiherr, Anna-Maria; Straten, Guido; Müller, Stephan; Leyhe, Thomas; Eschweiler, Gerhard W

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare the screening value of the Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing Test (CDT), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the algorithm MMSE and/or CDT to separate elderly people with dementia from healthy depending on test time, type and severity of dementia, and demographic variables in a German Memory Clinic. Data from a heterogeneous patient sample and healthy participants (n = 502) were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 438 patients with dementia, 49.1% of the dementia diagnoses were Alzheimer's dementia and 50.9% were non-Alzheimer's dementia. Sixty-four participants were classified as cognitively unimpaired. The CDT and an extraction of the 3-item recall of the MMSE were used to constitute the Mini-Cog algorithm. Overall, the Mini-Cog showed significantly higher discriminatory power (86.8%) than the MMSE (72.6% at a cut-off ≤ 24 and 79.2% at ≤ 25, respectively) and CDT (78.1%) (each p 0.05). The specificity of the Mini-Cog (100.0%) was similar to that of the MMSE (100.0% for both cut-offs) and CDT (96.9%) (p = 0.154). For all age and educational groups the Mini-Cog outmatched the CDT and MMSE, and was less affected by education than MMSE and less susceptible for the dementia stage than the CDT. The Mini-Cog proved to have superior discriminatory power than either CDT or MMSE and is demonstrated to be a valid "short" screening instrument taking 3 to 4 minutes to administer in the geriatric setting.

"Rational" management of dichlorophenols biodegradation by the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus.

Science.gov (United States)

Papazi, Aikaterini; Kotzabasis, Kiriakos

2013-01-01

The microalga Scenedesmus obliquus exhibited the ability to biodegrade dichlorophenols (dcps) under specific autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions. According to their biodegradability, the dichlorophenols used can be separated into three distinct groups. Group I (2,4-dcp and 2,6 dcp - no meta-substitution) consisted of quite easily degraded dichlorophenols, since both chloride substituents are in less energetically demanding positions. Group II (2,3-dcp, 2,5-dcp and 3,4-dcp - one meta-chloride) was less susceptible to biodegradation, since one of the two substituents, the meta one, required higher energy for C-Cl-bond cleavage. Group III (3,5-dcp - two meta-chlorides) could not be biodegraded, since both chlorides possessed the most energy demanding positions. In general, when the dcp-toxicity exceeded a certain threshold, the microalga increased the energy offered for biodegradation and decreased the energy invested for biomass production. As a result, the biodegradation per cell volume of group II (higher toxicity) was higher, than group I (lower toxicity) and the biodegradation of dichlorophenols (higher toxicity) was higher than the corresponding monochlorophenols (lower toxicity). The participation of the photosynthetic apparatus and the respiratory mechanism of microalga to biodegrade the group I and the group II, highlighted different bioenergetic strategies for optimal management of the balance between dcp-toxicity, dcp-biodegradability and culture growth. Additionally, we took into consideration the possibility that the intermediates of each dcp-biodegradation pathway could influence differently the whole biodegradation procedures. For this reason, we tested all possible combinations of phenolic intermediates to check cometabolic interactions. The present contribution bring out the possibility of microalgae to operate as "smart" bioenergetic "machines", that have the ability to continuously "calculate" the energy reserves and "use" the most energetically

Additional Equipment for Soil Biodegradation

Science.gov (United States)

Vondráčková, Terezie; Kraus, Michal; Šál, Jiří

2017-12-01

Intensification of industrial production, increasing citizens’ living standards, expanding the consumer assortment mean in the production - consumption cycle a constantly increasing occurrence of waste material, which by its very nature must be considered as a source of useful raw materials in all branches of human activity. In addition to strict legislative requirements, a number of circumstances characterize waste management. It is mainly extensive transport associated with the handling and storage of large volumes of substances with a large assortment of materials (substances of all possible physical and chemical properties) and high demands on reliability and time coordination of follow-up processes. Considerable differences in transport distances, a large number of sources, processors and customers, and not least seasonal fluctuations in waste and strong price pressures cannot be overlooked. This highlights the importance of logistics in waste management. Soils that are contaminated with oil and petroleum products are hazardous industrial waste. Methods of industrial waste disposal are landfilling, biological processes, thermal processes and physical and chemical methods. The paper focuses on the possibilities of degradation of oil pollution, in particular biodegradation by bacteria, which is relatively low-cost among technologies. It is necessary to win the fight with time so that no ground water is contaminated. We have developed two additional devices to help reduce oil accident of smaller ranges. In the case of such an oil accident, it is necessary to carry out the permeability test of contaminated soil in time and, on this basis, to choose the technology appropriate to the accident - either in-sit biodegradation - at the site of the accident, or on-sit - to remove the soil and biodegrade it on the designated deposits. A special injection drill was developed for in-sit biodegradation, tossing and aeration equipment of the extracted soil was developed for

Bioavailability and biodegradation kinetics of organics in soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabak, H.H.; Govind, R.; Gao, Chao; Kim, In-soo; Lai, Lei

1992-01-01

As EPA begins to remediate Superfund sites using permanent treatment technologies, such as bioremediation, a fundamental understanding of the kinetics and the factors that control the rate of bioremediation will be required. Biological treatment technologies hold considerable promise for safe, economical, on-site treatment of toxic wastes. A variety of biological treatment systems designed to degrade or detoxify environmental contaminants are currently being developed and marketed. Knowledge of the kinetics of biodegradation is essential to the evaluation of the persistence of most organic pollutants in soil. Furthermore, measurement of biodegradation kinetics can provide useful insights into the favorable range of the important environmental parameters for improvement of the microbiological activity and consequently the enhancement of contaminant biodegradation. A major effort is currently underway to clean up aquifers and soils that are contaminated by organic chemicals, which has generated increased interest in the development of in situ bioremediation technologies. Although considerable data exists for rates of biodegradation in aquatic environments, there is little information on biodegradation kinetics in soil matrices, where irreversible binding to the soil phase may limit the chemicals bioavailability and ultimate degradation. Knowledge on biodegradation kinetics in soil environments can facilitate decisions on the efficacy of in situ bioremediation. 6 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Characterization of surface topography and chemical composition of mini-implants

OpenAIRE

Knop, Luegya Amorim Henriques; Soares, Ana Prates; Shintcovsk, Ricardo Lima; Martins, Lidia Parsekian; Gandini Jr., Luiz Gonzaga

2015-01-01

Abstract Aim : To assess the surface topography and chemical composition of three brands of as-received mini-implants (SIN(r), Morelli(r), and Conexao(r)). Methods: Twelve mini-implants of each brand were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Results: There was no significant differences among SIN(r), Morelli(r), and Conexao(r) mini-implants comparing their surface topography by visualization of SEM micrographs and analysis of scores. The EDX analysis ...

Late time CMB anisotropies constrain mini-charged particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burrage, C.; Redondo, J.; Ringwald, A. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Jaeckel, J. [Univ. of Durham, Inst. for Particle Physics Phenomenology (United Kingdom)

2009-09-15

Observations of the temperature anisotropies induced as light from the CMB passes through large scale structures in the late universe are a sensitive probe of the interactions of photons in such environments. In extensions of the Standard Model which give rise to mini-charged particles, photons propagating through transverse magnetic fields can be lost to pair production of such particles. Such a decrement in the photon flux would occur as photons from the CMB traverse the magnetic fields of galaxy clusters. Therefore late time CMB anisotropies can be used to constrain the properties of mini- charged particles. We outline how this test is constructed, and present new constraints on mini-charged particles from observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in the Coma cluster. (orig.)

Management of pediatric mandibular fractures using bioresorbable plating system - Efficacy, stability, and clinical outcomes: Our experiences and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mahinder; Singh, R K; Passi, Deepak; Aggarwal, Mohit; Kaur, Guneet

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and stability of the biodegradable fixation system for treatment of mandible fractures in pediatric patients by measuring the bite force. Sixty pediatric patients with mandibular fractures (36 males, 24 females) were included in this study. The 2.5-mm resorbable plates were adapted along Champy's line of ideal osteosynthesis and secured with four 2.5 mm diameter monocortical resorbable screws, 8 mm in length. All patients were followed for 10 months. Clinical parameters, such as soft tissue infection, nonunion, malunion, implant exposure, malocclusion, nerve injury, and bite force for stability, were prospectively assessed. Adequate fixation and primary bone healing was achieved in 100% of the cases. Six minor complications (10%) were observed: 2 soft tissue infections (3%), 1 plate dehiscence (2%), 1 malocclusion (2%), and 2 paresthesia (3%). 2.5-mm resorbable plating system along Champy's line of ideal osteosynthesis is a good treatment modality for mandible fractures in pediatric patients.

Estimation of diagnostic performance of dementia screening tests: Mini-Mental State Examination, Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing test and Ascertain Dementia 8 questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Li; Yan, Jing; Jin, Xiaoqing; Jin, Yu; Yu, Wei; Xu, Shanhu; Wu, Haibin; Xu, Ying; Liu, Caixia

2017-05-09

Dementia is one of the leading causes of dependence in the elderly. This study was conducted to estimate diagnostic performance of dementia screening tests including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mini-Cog, Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and Ascertain Dementia 8 questionnaire (AD8) by Bayesian models. A total of 2015 participants aged 65 years or more in eastern China were enrolled. The four screening tests were administered and scored by specifically trained psychiatrists. The prior information of sensitivity and specificity of every screening test was updated via Bayes' theorem to a posterior distribution. Then the results were compared with the estimation based on National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer's Association criteria (NIA-AA). The diagnostic characteristics of Mini-Cog, including sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, especially the Youden index, performed well, even better than the combinations of several screening tests. The Mini-Cog with excellent screening characteristics, spending less time, could be considered to be used as a screening test to help to screen patients with cognitive impairment or dementia early. And Bayesian method was shown to be a suitable tool for evaluating dementia screening tests. The Mini-Cog with excellent screening characteristics, spending less time, could be considered to be used as a screening test to help to screen patients with cognitive impairment or dementia early. And Bayesian method was shown to be a suitable tool for evaluating dementia screening tests.

Cyclodextrin-enhanced biodegradation of phenanthrene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J.-M.; Marlowe, E.M.; Miller-Maier, R.M.; Brusseau, M.L. [University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ (United States). Dept. of Soil, Water and Environmental Science

1998-07-01

The effectiveness of in situ bioremediation in many systems may be constrained by low contaminant bioavailability due to limited aqueous solubility or a large magnitude of sorption. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of hydroxypropyl-{beta}-cyclodextrin (HPCD) on phenanthrene solubilization and biodegradation. Results showed that analytical-grade HPCD can significantly increase the apparent solubility of phenanthrene. The increase in apparent solubility had a major impact on the biodegradation rate of phenanthrene. For example, in the presence of 10{sup 5} mg L{sup -1} HPCD, the substrate utilization rate increased from 0.17 mg h{sup -1} to 0.93 mg h{sup -1} while the apparent solubility was increased from 1.3 mg L{sup -1} to 161.3 mg L{sup -1}. As a result, only 0.3% of the phenanthrene remained at the end of a 48 h incubation for the highest concentration of HPCD tested (10{sup 5} mg L{sup -1}). In contrast, 45.2% of the phenanthrene remained in the absence of HPCD. Technical-grade HPCD, which contains the biodegradable impurity propylene glycol, also increased the substrate utilization rate, although to a lesser extent than the analytical-grade HPCD. On the basis of these results, it appears that HPCD can significantly increase the bioavailability, and thereby enhance the biodegradation of phenanthrene. 26 refs., 5 figs.

Biodegradation of PuEDTA and Impacts on Pu Mobility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xun, Luying; Bolton, Jr. Harvey

2001-01-01

Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and nitrilotriacetate (NTA) are synthetic chelating agents, which can form strong water-soluble complexes with radionuclides and metals and has been used to decontaminate and process nuclear materials. Synthetic chelating agents were co-disposed with radionuclides (e.g., 60Co, Pu) and heavy metals enhancing their transport in the subsurface. An understanding of EDTA biodegradation is essential to help mitigate enhanced radionuclide transport by EDTA. The objective of this research is to develop fundamental data on factors that govern the biodegradation of radionuclide-EDTA. These factors include the dominant EDTA aqueous species, the biodegradation of various metal-EDTA complexes, the uptake of various metal-EDTA complexes into the cell, the distribution and mobility of the radionuclide during and after EDTA biodegradation, and the enzymology and genetics of EDTA biodegradation

Mini-Grids for the Base of the Pyramid Market: A Critical Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subhes C. Bhattacharyya

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The lack of access to electricity of more than 1.1 billion people around the world remains a major developmental challenge and Goal 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG as well as Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL have set a target of universal electrification by 2030. Various studies have identified mini-grid-based electrification as a possible solution. There is a growing body of literature available now that has explored the feasibility, practical application and policy interventions required to support mini-grids. Through a review of available literature, this paper explores whether mini-grids can be a solution for the base of the pyramid (BoP market and the challenges faced in deploying mini-grids in such markets. Interventions to support the mini-grid deployment are also discussed. The paper finds that the mini-grids are targeting the BoP market but the business is not attractive in profitability terms and requires financial support. Lack of regulatory clarity and non-coordinated policies affect the financial viability of projects, which requires careful support. Mini-grid electrification has hardly been embedded in rural development agenda and hence they have not contributed significantly to livelihood generation. Careful realignment of policies, regulatory frameworks and support systems can better support mini-grid deployment in developing countries.

Risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets: A robust-product for pediatrics.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Say, Khalid M; Ahmed, Tarek A; Abdelbary, Maged F; Ali, Bahaa E; Aljaeid, Bader M; Zidan, Ahmed S

2015-12-01

This study was aimed at developing risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets (OD-mini-tablets) as age-appropriate formulations and to assess their suitability for infants and pediatric use. An experimental Box-Behnken design was applied to assure high quality of the OD-mini-tablets and reduce product variability. The design was employed to understand the influence of the critical excipient combinations on the production of OD-mini-tablets and thus guarantee the feasibility of obtaining products with dosage form uniformity. The variables selected were mannitol percent in Avicel (X1), swelling pressure of the superdisintegrant (X2), and the surface area of Aerosil as a glidant (X3). Risperidone-excipient compatibilities were investigated using FTIR and the spectra did not display any interaction. Fifteen formulations were prepared and evaluated for pre- and post-compression characteristics. The prepared OD-mini-tablet batches were also assessed for disintegration in simulated salivary fluid (SSF, pH 6.2) and in reconstituted skimmed milk. The optimized formula fulfilled the requirements for crushing strength of 5 kN with minimal friability, disintegration times of 8.4 and 53.7 s in SSF and skimmed milk, respectively. This study therefore proposes the risperidone OD-mini-tablet formula having robust mechanical properties, uniform and precise dosing of medication with short disintegration time suitable for pediatric use.

Modeling particulate removal in plate-plate and wire-plate electrostatic precipitators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Ramechecandane

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The present study is concerned with the modeling of electrically charged particles in a model plate-plate and a single wire-plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP. The particle concentration distributions for both a plate-plate and a wire-plate ESP are calculated using a modified drift flux model. Numerical investigations are performed using the modified drift flux model for particle number concentration, in addition to the RNG k - ε model for the mean turbulent flow field and the Poisson equation for the electric field. The proposed model and the outlined methodology for coupling the flow field, electric field, charging kinetics and particle concentration is applied to two model precipitators that are truly representative of a wide class of commercialized ESPs. The present investigation is quite different from the earlier studies as it does not make assumptions like a homogeneous electric field or an infinite turbulent diffusivity. The electric field calculated is a strong function of position and controls the migration velocity of particles. Hence, the proposed model can be implemented in a flow solver to obtain a full-fledged solution for any kind of ESP with no limitations on the particle number concentration, as encountered in a Lagrangian approach. The effect of turbulent diffusivity on particle number concentration in a plate-plate ESP is investigated in detail and the results obtained are compared with available experimental data. Similarly, the effect of particle size/diameter and applied electric potential on the accumulative collection performance in the case of a wire-plate ESP is studied and the results obtained are compared with available numerical data. The numerical results obtained using the modified drift flux model for both the plate-plate and wire-plate ESP are in close agreement with available experimental and numerical data.

Accelerated Tooth Movement with Orthodontic Mini-Screws

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Aksakalli

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This case report outlines the possibility of accelerated tooth movement with the combination of microosteoperforation and mini-screws. A 14-year-old male patient presented Class II malocclusion with maxillary incisor protrusion. Upper first premolars were extracted, and after leveling, accelerated canine distalization started. For pre- and postdistalization times, amount of distalization, periodontal health, and root resorption were assessed. Within the limitations of this case report, micro-osteoperforations with mini-screw have a potential for shortening the treatment time.

The second green revolution? Production of plant-based biodegradable plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mooney, Brian P

2009-03-01

Biodegradable plastics are those that can be completely degraded in landfills, composters or sewage treatment plants by the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms. Truly biodegradable plastics leave no toxic, visible or distinguishable residues following degradation. Their biodegradability contrasts sharply with most petroleum-based plastics, which are essentially indestructible in a biological context. Because of the ubiquitous use of petroleum-based plastics, their persistence in the environment and their fossil-fuel derivation, alternatives to these traditional plastics are being explored. Issues surrounding waste management of traditional and biodegradable polymers are discussed in the context of reducing environmental pressures and carbon footprints. The main thrust of the present review addresses the development of plant-based biodegradable polymers. Plants naturally produce numerous polymers, including rubber, starch, cellulose and storage proteins, all of which have been exploited for biodegradable plastic production. Bacterial bioreactors fed with renewable resources from plants--so-called 'white biotechnology'--have also been successful in producing biodegradable polymers. In addition to these methods of exploiting plant materials for biodegradable polymer production, the present review also addresses the advances in synthesizing novel polymers within transgenic plants, especially those in the polyhydroxyalkanoate class. Although there is a stigma associated with transgenic plants, especially food crops, plant-based biodegradable polymers, produced as value-added co-products, or, from marginal land (non-food), crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), have the potential to become viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and an environmentally benign and carbon-neutral source of polymers.

Predicting everyday functional abilities of dementia patients with the Mini-Mental State Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Razani, Jill; Wong, Jennifer T; Dafaeeboini, Natalia; Edwards-Lee, Terri; Lu, Po; Alessi, Cathy; Josephson, Karen

2009-03-01

The Mini-Mental State Examination is a widely used cognitive screening measure. The purpose of the present study was to assess how 5 specific clusters of Mini-Mental State Examination items (ie, subscores) correlate with and predict specific areas of daily functioning in dementia patients, 61 patients with varied forms of dementia were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination and an observation-based daily functional test (the Direct Assessment of Functional Status). The results revealed that the orientation and attention subscores of the Mini-Mental State Examination correlated most significantly with most functional domains. The Mini-Mental State Examination language items correlated with all but the shopping and time orientation tasks, while the Mini-Mental State Examination recall items correlated with the Direct Assessment of Functional Status time orientation and shopping tasks. Stepwise regression analyses found that among the Mini-Mental State Examination subscores, orientation was the single, best independent predictor of daily functioning.

Microbial ecology of bacterially mediated PCB biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettigrew, C.A. Jr.

1989-01-01

The roles of plasmid mediated and consortia mediated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) biodegradation by bacterial populations isolated from PCB contaminated freshwater sediments were investigated. PCB degrading bacteria were isolated by DNA:DNA colony hybridization, batch enrichments, and chemostat enrichment. Analysis of substrate removal and metabolite production were done using chlorinated biphenyl spray plates, reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography, Cl - detection, and 14 C-labeled substrate mineralization methods. A bacterial consortium, designated LPS10, involved in a concerted metabolic attack on chlorinated biphenyls, was shown to mineralize 4-chlorobiphenyl (4CB) and 4,4'-dichlorobiphenyl (4,4' CB). The LPS10 consortium was isolated by both batch and chemostat enrichment using 4CB and biphenyl (BP) as sole carbon source and was found to have tree bacterial isolates that predominated; these included: Pseudomonas, testosteroni LPS10A which mediated the breakdown of 4CB and 4,4' CB to the putative meta-cleavage product and subsequently to 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4CBA), an isolate tentatively identified as an Arthrobacter sp. LPS10B which mediated 4CBA degradation, and Pseudomonas putida by A LPS10C whose role in the consortium has not been determined

Validity of a short clinical interview for psychiatric diagnosis: the mini-SCAN.

Science.gov (United States)

Nienhuis, F J; van de Willige, G; Rijnders, C A Th; de Jonge, P; Wiersma, D

2010-01-01

To promote clinical application of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) system a shorter version (the mini-SCAN) was devised. Its psychometric properties were unknown. To establish the validity and practical properties of the mini-SCAN. One hundred and six participants were interviewed twice, once with the SCAN and once with the mini-SCAN. The level of agreement was established for the categories: no disorder, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, non-affective psychotic disorders, affective psychotic disorders. The mini-SCAN is a valid instrument. Most kappa values were around 0.90. Only for the class of affective psychotic disorders was the agreement moderate. Mean duration of the mini-SCAN interviews was 25 min shorter than the SCAN interviews. Participants and interviewers were generally satisfied with the interview format and questions. The mini-SCAN can be used as a diagnostic instrument for clinical purposes and for clinical studies when the present episode is the focus of attention.

Why are mini-implants lost: the value of the implantation technique!

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Fabio Lourenço; Consolaro, Alberto

2015-01-01

The use of mini-implants have made a major contribution to orthodontic treatment. Demand has aroused scientific curiosity about implant placement procedures and techniques. However, the reasons for instability have not yet been made totally clear. The aim of this article is to establish a relationship between implant placement technique and mini-implant success rates by means of examining the following hypotheses: 1) Sites of poor alveolar bone and little space between roots lead to inadequate implant placement; 2) Different sites require mini-implants of different sizes! Implant size should respect alveolar bone diameter; 3) Properly determining mini-implant placement site provides ease for implant placement and contributes to stability; 4) The more precise the lancing procedures, the better the implant placement technique; 5) Self-drilling does not mean higher pressures; 6) Knowing where implant placement should end decreases the risk of complications and mini-implant loss.

Why are mini-implants lost: The value of the implantation technique!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Lourenço Romano

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The use of mini-implants have made a major contribution to orthodontic treatment. Demand has aroused scientific curiosity about implant placement procedures and techniques. However, the reasons for instability have not yet been made totally clear. The aim of this article is to establish a relationship between implant placement technique and mini-implant success rates by means of examining the following hypotheses: 1 Sites of poor alveolar bone and little space between roots lead to inadequate implant placement; 2 Different sites require mini-implants of different sizes! Implant size should respect alveolar bone diameter; 3 Properly determining mini-implant placement site provides ease for implant placement and contributes to stability; 4 The more precise the lancing procedures, the better the implant placement technique; 5 Self-drilling does not mean higher pressures; 6 Knowing where implant placement should end decreases the risk of complications and mini-implant loss.

A Novel Biodegradable Polycaprolactone Fixator for Osteosynthesis Surgery of Rib Fracture: In Vitro and in Vivo Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Hsun Yu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Osteosynthesis surgery for rib fractures is controversial and challenging. This study developed a noval poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL-based biodegradable “cable-tie” fixator for osteosynthesis surgery for rib fractures. A biodegradable fixator specifically for fractured ribs was designed and fabricated by a micro-injection molding machine in our laboratory. The fixator has three belts that could be passed through matching holes individually. The locking mechanism allows the belt movement to move in only one direction. To examine the in vitro biomechanical performance, ribs 3–7 from four fresh New Zealand rabbits were employed. The load to failure and stress-strain curve was compared in the three-point bending test among native ribs, titanium plate-fixed ribs, and PCL fixator-fixed ribs. In the in vivo animal study, the sixth ribs of New Zealand rabbits were osteotomized and osteosynthesis surgery was performed using the PCL fixator. Outcomes were assessed by monthly X-ray examinations, a final micro-computed tomography (CT scan, and histological analysis. The experimental results suggested that the ribs fixed with the PCL fixator were significantly less stiff than those fixed with titanium plates (p < 0.05. All ribs fixed with the PCL fixators exhibited union. The bridging callus was confirmed by gross, radiographic micro-three-dimensional (3D CT, and histological examinations. In addition, there was no significant inflammatory response of the osteotomized ribs or the PCL-rib interface during application. The novel PCL fixator developed in this work achieves satisfactory results in osteosynthesis surgery for rib fractures, and may provide potential applications in other orthopedic surgeries.

Treatment of mandibular condyle fractures using a modified transparotid approach via the parotid mini-incision: experience with 31 cases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Shi

Full Text Available Surgery for mandibular condyle fractures must allow direct vision of the fracture, reduce surgical trauma and achieve reduction and fixation while avoiding facial nerve injury. This prospective study was conducted to introduce a new surgical approach for open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular condyle fractures using a modified transparotid approach via the parotid mini-incision, and surgical outcomes were evaluated. The modified transparotid approach via the parotid mini-incision was applied and rigid internal fixation using a small titanium plate was carried out for 36 mandibular condyle fractures in 31 cases. Postoperative follow-up of patients ranged from 3 to 26 months; in the first 3 months after surgery, outcomes for all patients were analyzed by evaluating the degree of mouth opening, occlusal relationship, facial nerve function and results of imaging studies. The occlusal relationships were excellent in all patients and none had symptoms of intraoperative ipsilateral facial nerve injury. The mean degree of mouth opening was 4.0 (maximum 4.8 cm, minimum 3.0 cm. No mandibular deviations were noted in any patient during mouth opening. CT showed complete anatomical reduction of the mandibular condyle fracture in all patients. The modified transparotid approach via the smaller, easily concealed parotid mini-incision is minimally invasive and achieves anatomical reduction and rigid internal fixation with a simplified procedure that directly exposes the fracture site. Study results showed that this procedure is safe and feasible for treating mandibular condyle fracture, and offers a short operative path, protection of the facial nerve and satisfactory aesthetic outcomes.

Radiation effects on biodegradable polyesters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroshi Mitomo; Darmawan Darwis; Fumio Yoshii; Keizo Makuuchi

1999-01-01

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] and its copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] are microbial biodegradable polyesters produced by many types of bacteria. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) are also biodegradable synthetic polyesters which have been commercialized. These thermoplastics are expected for wide usage in environmental protection and blocompatible applications. Radiation grafting of hydrophilic monomers onto many polymers, e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene has been studied mainly for biomedical applications. In the present study, radiation-induced graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto PHB and P(3HB-co-3HV) was carried out and improvement of their properties was studied. Changes in the properties and biodegradability were compared with the degree of grafting. Radiation-induced crosslinking of PBS and PCL which relatively show thermal and irradiation stability was also carried out to improve their thermal stability or processability. Irradiation to PBS and PCL mainly resulted in crosslinking and characterization of these crosslinked polyesters was investigated

Influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Chin-Yun; Chou, Szu-Ting; Tseng, Yu-Chuan; Yang, Yi-Hsin; Wu, Chao-Yi; Lan, Ting-Hsun; Liu, Pao-Hsin; Chang, Hong-Po

2012-12-01

This study evaluates the influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants by measuring the resonance frequency. Twenty-five orthodontic mini-implants with a diameter of 2 mm were used. The first group contained stainless steel mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm). The second group included titanium alloy mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm) and stainless steel mini-implants 10 mm in length. The mini-implants were inserted into artificial bones with a 2-mm-thick cortical layer and 40 or 20 lb/ft(3) trabecular bone density at insertion depths of 2, 4, and 6 mm. The resonance frequency of the mini-implants in the artificial bone was detected with the Implomates(®) device. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey honestly significant difference test (α = 0.05). Greater insertion depth resulted in higher resonance frequency, whereas longer mini-implants showed lower resonance frequency values. However, resonance frequency was not influenced by the implant materials titanium alloy or stainless steel. Therefore, the primary stability of a mini-implant is influenced by insertion depth and not by implant material. Insertion depth is extremely important for primary implant stability and is critical for treatment success. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Yun Pan

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This study evaluates the influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini-implants by measuring the resonance frequency. Twenty-five orthodontic mini-implants with a diameter of 2 mm were used. The first group contained stainless steel mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm. The second group included titanium alloy mini-implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm and stainless steel mini-implants 10 mm in length. The mini-implants were inserted into artificial bones with a 2-mm-thick cortical layer and 40 or 20 lb/ft3 trabecular bone density at insertion depths of 2, 4, and 6 mm. The resonance frequency of the mini-implants in the artificial bone was detected with the Implomates® device. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey honestly significant difference test (α = 0.05. Greater insertion depth resulted in higher resonance frequency, whereas longer mini-implants showed lower resonance frequency values. However, resonance frequency was not influenced by the implant materials titanium alloy or stainless steel. Therefore, the primary stability of a mini-implant is influenced by insertion depth and not by implant material. Insertion depth is extremely important for primary implant stability and is critical for treatment success.

Delphi report 1995 on developments in science and technology. Mini Delphi; Delphi-Bericht 1995 zur Entwicklung von Wissenschaft und Technik. Mini-Delphi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

In August 1993 the first German `Delphi Report on Developments in Science and Technology` was published. It was elaborated by the Fraunhofer Institute for System Engineering and Innovation Research (FhG-ISI) in cooperation with the Japanese National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP). The `MINI-DELPHI` now completed by FhG-ISI, again in cooperation with NISTEP, is a further development of the Delphi approach in that it is more differentiated in its questions and assessment criteria than its predecessors. `MINI-DELPHI` is not intended as a comprehensive forecast on technology in general but rather focusses on key topics. Its emphasis is on technology demand and the relevance of technologies to social issues. Although the Mini-Delphi study was primarily aimed at further refining the methodology employed, it nevertheless contains a wealth of information and details on circumscript questions. The requisite database is provided by tables on the results of two inquiry rounds among Japanese and German experts. (orig./RHM) [Deutsch] Im August 1993 wurde der erste deutsche `Delphi-Bericht zur Entwicklung von Wissenschaft und Technik` veroeffentlicht. Er war vom Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung (FhG-ISI) in Zusammenarbeit mit dem japanischen National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) erarbeitet worden. Mit dem jetzt vorliegenden `MINI-DELPHI` hat das FhG-ISI - wieder in Zusammenarbeit mit dem NISTEP - den Delphi-Ansatz fortentwickelt und sowohl hinsichtlich der Fragen als auch der Beurteilungskriterien weiter ausdifferenziert. `MINI-DELPHI` bezweckt keine umfassende Technologievorausschau, sondern konzentriert sich auf Schluesselthemen. Im Vordergrund steht der Gedanke des Technikbedarfs und die Relevanz fuer gesellschaftliche Fragestellungen. Obwohl die Mini-Delphi-Studie vorrangig der Weiterentwicklung der Methodik dient, enthaelt sich eine Fuelle von Informationen und Details zu Einzelfragen. Die im Bericht

Designing a mini subcritical nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobedo G, C. R.; Vega C, H. R.; Davila H, V. M.

2015-10-01

In this work the design of a mini subcritical nuclear reactor formed by means of light water moderator, uranium as fuel, and isotopic neutron source of 239 PuBe was carried out. The design was done by Monte Carlo methods with the code MCNP5 in which uranium was modeled in an array of concentric holes cylinders of 8.5, 14.5, 20.5, 26.5, 32.5 cm of internal radius and 3 cm of thickness, 36 cm of height. Different models were made from a single fuel cylinder (natural uranium) to five. The neutron source of 239 PuBe was situated in the center of the mini reactor; in each arrangement was used water as moderator. Cross sections libraries Endf/Vi were used and the number of stories was large enough to ensure less uncertainty than 3%. For each case the effective multiplication factor k e -f f , the amplification factor and the power was calculated. Outside the mini reactor the ambient dose equivalent H (10) was calculated for different cases. The value of k eff , the amplification factor and power are directly related to the number of cylinders of uranium as fuel. Although the average energy of the neutrons 239 PuBe is between 4.5 and 5 MeV in the case of the mini reactor for a cylinder, in the neutron spectrum the presence of thermal neutrons does not exist, so that produced fissions are generated with fast neutrons, and in designs of two and three rings the neutron spectra shows the presence of thermal neutrons, however the fissions are being generated with fast neutrons. Finally in the four and five cases the amount of moderator is enough to thermalized the neutrons and thereby produce the fission. The maximum value for k eff was 0.82; this value is very close to the assembly of Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas generating a k eff of 0.86. According to the safety and radiation protection standards for the design of mini reactor of one, two and three cylinders they comply with the established safety, while designs of four and five cylinders not met. (Author)

Phyllosphere yeasts rapidly break down biodegradable plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamoto, Hiroko K; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Cao, Xiao-Hong; Morita, Tomotake; Konishi, Masaaki; Tago, Kanako; Kajiwara, Hideyuki; Koitabashi, Motoo; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Watanabe, Takashi; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Nakajima-Kambe, Toshiaki; Tsushima, Seiya

2011-11-29

The use of biodegradable plastics can reduce the accumulation of environmentally persistent plastic wastes. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics depends on environmental conditions and is highly variable. Techniques for achieving more consistent degradation are needed. However, only a few microorganisms involved in the degradation process have been isolated so far from the environment. Here, we show that Pseudozyma spp. yeasts, which are common in the phyllosphere and are easily isolated from plant surfaces, displayed strong degradation activity on films made from poly-butylene succinate or poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate. Strains of P. antarctica isolated from leaves and husks of paddy rice displayed strong degradation activity on these films at 30°C. The type strain, P. antarctica JCM 10317, and Pseudozyma spp. strains from phyllosphere secreted a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme with a molecular mass of about 22 kDa. Reliable source of biodegradable plastic-degrading microorganisms are now in our hands.

Phyllosphere yeasts rapidly break down biodegradable plastics

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The use of biodegradable plastics can reduce the accumulation of environmentally persistent plastic wastes. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics depends on environmental conditions and is highly variable. Techniques for achieving more consistent degradation are needed. However, only a few microorganisms involved in the degradation process have been isolated so far from the environment. Here, we show that Pseudozyma spp. yeasts, which are common in the phyllosphere and are easily isolated from plant surfaces, displayed strong degradation activity on films made from poly-butylene succinate or poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate. Strains of P. antarctica isolated from leaves and husks of paddy rice displayed strong degradation activity on these films at 30°C. The type strain, P. antarctica JCM 10317, and Pseudozyma spp. strains from phyllosphere secreted a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme with a molecular mass of about 22 kDa. Reliable source of biodegradable plastic-degrading microorganisms are now in our hands. PMID:22126328

Improvement of biodegradability of industrial wastewaters by radiation treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jo, H.J.; Kim, H.J.; Kim, J.G.; Jung, J.; Choi, J.S.; Park, Y.K.

2006-01-01

In order to evaluate the use of gamma-ray treatment as a pretreatment to conventional biological methods, the effects of gamma-irradiation on biodegradability (BOD 5 /COD) of textile and pulp wastewaters were investigated. For all wastewaters studied in this work, the efficiency of treatment based on TOC removal was insignificant even at an absorbed dose of 20 kGy. However, the change of biodegradability was noticeable and largely dependent on the chemical property of wastewaters and the absorbed dose of gamma-rays. For textile wastewaters, gamma-ray treatment increased the biodegradability of desizing effluent due to degradation of polymeric sizing agents such as polyvinyl alcohol. Interestingly, the weight-loss showed the highest value of 0.97 at a relatively low dose of 1 kGy. This may be caused by the degradation of less biodegradable ethylene glycol prior to terephthalic acid decomposition. For pulp wastewater, the gamma-ray treatment did not improve the biodegradability of cooking and bleaching of C/D effluents. However, the biodegradability of bleaching E1 and final effluents was abruptly increased up to 5 kGy then slowly decreased as the absorbed dose was increased. The initial increase of biodegradability may be induced by the decomposition of refractory organic compounds such as chlorophenols, which are known to be the main components of bleaching C/D and final effluents. (author)

Internal Structure of Mini-CEX Scores for Internal Medicine Residents: Factor Analysis and Generalizability

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, David A.; Beckman, Thomas J.; Mandrekar, Jayawant N.; Pankratz, V. Shane

2010-01-01

The mini-CEX is widely used to rate directly observed resident-patient encounters. Although several studies have explored the reliability of mini-CEX scores, the dimensionality of mini-CEX scores is incompletely understood. Objective: Explore the dimensionality of mini-CEX scores through factor analysis and generalizability analysis. Design:…

Mini-Digest of Education Statistics, 2008. NCES 2009-021

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Thomas D.

2009-01-01

This publication is the 14th edition of the "Mini-Digest of Education Statistics," a pocket-sized compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from kindergarten through graduate school. The "Mini-Digest" is designed as an easy reference for materials found in much greater detail in the…

Fibrous mini-collagens in hydra nematocysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Holstein, T W; Benoit, M; Herder, G V; David, C N; Wanner, G; Gaub, H E

1994-07-15

Nematocysts (cnidocysts) are exocytotic organelles found in all cnidarians. Here, atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy reveal the structure of the nematocyst capsule wall. The outer wall consists of globular proteins of unknown function. The inner wall consists of bundles of collagen-like fibrils having a spacing of 50 to 100 nanometers and cross-striations at intervals of 32 nanometers. The fibrils consist of polymers of "mini-collagens," which are abundant in the nematocysts of Hydra. The distinct pattern of mini-collagen fibers in the inner wall can provide the tensile strength necessary to withstand the high osmotic pressure (15 megapascals) in the capsules.

Concerning production and decay of mini black holes

CERN Document Server

Hajdukovic, D

2007-01-01

In the next few years, theories predicting possibility to create mini black holes will be tested at CERN. Either experimental verification or rejection of these theories is of great scientific importance. There is a large consensus that, if successfully created, these short living mini black holes will decay through thermal (Hawking's) radiation. In the present comment we point out, that under assumption of the gravitational repulsion between matter and antimatter (in short we call it antigravity), thermal radiation may be dominated by a non-thermal radiation (being the consequence of pair creation from the vacuum, by gravitational field, which in the case of antigravity, pushes particles and antiparticles in opposite directions). Thus, the eventual creation of mini black holes may turn to be an unexpected opportunity to test the existence of antigravity.

Replacing a failed mini-implant with a miniplate to prevent interruption during orthodontic treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jin-Hwa; Choo, Hyeran; Kim, Seong-Hun; Chung, Kyu-Rhim; Giannuzzi, Lucille A; Ngan, Peter

2011-06-01

When mini-implants fail during orthodontic treatment, there is a need to have a backup plan to either replace the failed implant in the adjacent interradicular area or wait for the bone to heal before replacing the mini-implant. We propose a novel way to overcome this problem by replacement with a miniplate so as not to interrupt treatment or prolong treatment time. The indications, advantages, efficacy, and procedures for switching from a mini-implant to a miniplate are discussed. Two patients who required replacement of failed mini-implants are presented. In the first patient, because of the proximity of the buccal vestibule to the mini-implant, it was decided to replace the failed mini-implant by an I-shaped C-tube miniplate. In the second patient, radiolucencies were found around the failed mini-implants, making the adjacent alveolar bone unavailable for immediate placement of another mini-implant. In addition, the maxillary sinus pneumatization was expanded deeply into the interradicular spaces; this further mandated an alternative placement site. One failed mini-implant was examined under a scanning electron microscope for bone attachment. Treatment was completed in both patients after replacement with miniplates without interrupting the treatment mechanics or prolonging the treatments. Examination under the scanning electron microscope showed partial bone growth into the coating pores and titanium substrate interface even after thorough cleaning and sterilization. Replacement with a miniplate is a viable solution for failed mini-implants during orthodontic treatment. The results from microscopic evaluation of the failed mini-implant suggest that stringent guidelines are needed for recycling used mini-implants. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of penicillin-G wastewater using Phanerochate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SERVER

2007-06-18

Jun 18, 2007 ... emission of toxic substances and formation of sludge. In recent years, a white rot fungus, ... sporium as a potential microorganism for the biodegrade- tion of polychlorinated ... 1990), paper mill bleach plant effluent (Fukui, 1992) and spentwash (Fahy et al., ..... Studies on biodegradation of toxic compounds.

Evaluation of mini super computers for nuclear design applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altomare, S.; Baradari, F.

1987-01-01

The evolution of the mini super computers will force changes from the current environment of performing nuclear design calculations on mainframe computers (such as a CRAY) to mini super computers. This change will come about for a number of reasons. First, the mini super computers currently available in the marketplace offer the power and speed comparable to mainframes and can provide the capability to support highly computer intensive calculations. Second, the equipment is physically smaller and can easily be installed and operated without extensive investments in facilities and operations support. Third, the computer capacity can be acquired with as much needed memory, disk, and tape capacity as may be needed. Another reasons is that the performance/cost ratio has increased drastically as hardware costs have decreased. A study was conducted at the Westinghouse Commercial Nuclear Fuel Division (CNFD) to evaluate the mini super computers for use in nuclear core design. As a result of this evaluation, Westinghouse CNFD is offering a combined hardware/software technology transfer package for core design. This package provides the utility designer with a totally dedicated mini super computer comparable in speed to the CRAY 1S with sufficient capacity for a sizable design group to perform the engineering activities related to nuclear core design and operations support. This also assures the utility of being totally compatible with the CNFD design codes, thus assuring total update compatibility

Biodegradable magnesium-alloy stent:current situation in research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hua; Zhao Xianxian

2011-01-01

In recent years, permanent metal stents are employed in the majority of interventional therapies; nevertheless, such kind of stents carries the problems of thrombosis and restenosis. Therefore, the biodegradable magnesium alloy stent has become the focus of attention. Theoretically, it has overcome the problems caused by permanent metal stents, so it is the development direction to use the biodegradable magnesium alloy in future. The authors believe that biodegradable magnesium alloy stents will be widely used in interventional procedures for many diseases. (authors)

Biological removal of phenol from wastewaters: a mini review

Science.gov (United States)

Pradeep, N. V.; Anupama, S.; Navya, K.; Shalini, H. N.; Idris, M.; Hampannavar, U. S.

2015-06-01

Phenol and its derivatives are common water pollutants and include wide variety of organic chemicals. Phenol poisoning can occur by skin absorption, inhalation, ingestion and various other methods which can result in health effects. High exposures to phenol may be fatal to human beings. Accumulation of phenol creates toxicity both for flora and fauna. Therefore, removal of phenol is crucial to perpetuate the environment and individual. Among various treatment methods available for removal of phenols, biodegradation is environmental friendly. Biological methods are gaining importance as they convert the wastes into harmless end products. The present work focuses on assessment of biological removal (biodegradation) of phenol. Various factors influence the efficiency of biodegradation of phenol such as ability of the microorganism, enzymes involved, the mechanism of degradation and influencing factors. This study describes about the sources of phenol, adverse effects on the environment, microorganisms involved in the biodegradation (aerobic and anaerobic) and enzymes that polymerize phenol.

Effects of the shape of the foil corners on the irradiation performance of U10Mo alloy based monolithic mini-plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozaltun, Hakan [Idaho National Laboratory; Medvedev, Pavel G [Idaho National Laboratory

2015-06-01

Monolithic plate-type fuel is a fuel form being developed for high performance research and test reactors to minimize the use of enriched material. These fuel elements are comprised of a high density, low enrichment, U-Mo alloy based fuel foil, sandwiched between Zirconium liners and encapsulated in Aluminum cladding. The use of a high density fuel in a foil form presents a number of fabrication and operational concerns, such as: foil centering, flatness of the foil, fuel thickness variation, geometrical tilting, foil corner shape etc. To benchmark this new design, effects of various geometrical and operational variables on irradiation performance have been evaluated. As a part of these series of sensitivity studies, the shape of the foil corners were studied. To understand the effects of the corner shapes of the foil on thermo-mechanical performance of the plates, a behavioral model was developed for a selected plate from RERTR-12 experiments (Plate L1P785). Both fabrication and irradiation processes were simulated. Once the thermo-mechanical behavior the plate is understood for the nominal case, the simulations were repeated for two additional corner shapes to observe the changes in temperature, displacement and stress-strain fields. The results from the fabrication simulations indicated that the foil corners do not alter the post-fabrication stress-strain magnitudes. Furthermore, the irradiation simulations revealed that post-fabrication stresses of the foil would be relieved very quickly in operation. While, foils with chamfered and filleted corners yielded stresses with comparable magnitudes, they are slightly lower in magnitudes, and provided a more favorable mechanical response compared with the foil with sharp corners.

Mini-clinical evaluation exercise til evaluering af kommunikation og samarbejde i ambulatoriet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Jesper Grau; Simonsen, Dorit; Bastholt, Lars

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: In the revised Danish medical specialist training increased focus has been placed on competences which are hard to evaluate such as communication skills. Mini-CEX seems promising as an evaluation tool. Our aim was to test: 1) whether mini-CEX was useable in the evaluation of communi......INTRODUCTION: In the revised Danish medical specialist training increased focus has been placed on competences which are hard to evaluate such as communication skills. Mini-CEX seems promising as an evaluation tool. Our aim was to test: 1) whether mini-CEX was useable in the evaluation...

Biodegradation of 4-nitroaniline by plant-growth promoting Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 and toxicological analysis of its biodegradation metabolites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silambarasan, Sivagnanam [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Vangnai, Alisa S., E-mail: alisa.v@chula.ac.th [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2016-01-25

Highlights: • Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 is a PGPB able to degrade high concentration of 4-NA. • Growth and degradation kinetics for 4-NA removal by AVLB2 were studied. • A novel biodegradation pathway for 4-nitroaniline has been proposed. • Toxicological studies revealed non-toxic nature of 4-NA biodegraded metabolites. • Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 could maintain PGP traits under 4-NA stress. - Abstract: 4-nitroaniline (4-NA) is one of the major priority pollutants generated from industrial productions and pesticide transformation; however very limited biodegradation details have been reported. This work is the first to report 4-NA biodegradation kinetics and toxicity reduction using a newly isolated plant-growth promoting bacterium, Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2. The 4-NA-dependent growth kinetics parameters: μ{sub max}, K{sub s} and K{sub i}, were determined to be 0.039 h{sup −1}, 6.623 mg L{sup −1} and 25.57 mg L{sup −1}, respectively using Haldane inhibition model, while the maximum biodegradation rate (V{sub max}) of 4-NA was at 0.541 mg L{sup −1} h{sup −1} and 0.551 mg L{sup −1} h{sup −1}, following Michaelis–Menten and Hanes–Woolf models, respectively. Biodegradation pathway of 4-NA by Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 was proposed, and successfully led to the reduction of 4-NA toxicity according to the following toxicity assessments: microbial toxicity using Escherichia coli DH5α, phytotoxicity with Vigna radiata and Crotalaria juncea, and cytogenotoxicity with Allium cepa root-tip cells. In addition, Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2 possess important plant-growth promoting traits, both in the presence and absence of 4-NA. This study has provided a new insight into 4-NA biodegradation ability and concurrent plant-growth promoting activities of Acinetobacter sp. AVLB2, which may indicate its potential role for rhizoremediation, while sustaining crop production even under 4-NA stressed environment.

Injuries in Japanese Mini-Basketball Players During Practices and Games

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzuhara, Kenji; Shibata, Masashi; Uchida, Ryo

2016-01-01

Context: Mini-basketball is one of the most popular junior sports in Japan. Mini-basketball–related injuries may increase because of early specialization. However, no reports have been published to date concerning basketball injuries in children younger than 12 years of age. Objective: To prospectively study the incidence, sites, types, and mechanisms of injuries in mini-basketball teams. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Mini-basketball teams in Kobe, Japan. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 95 players in 7 community-based mini-basketball club teams (age range, 9 through 12 years). Main Outcome Measure(s): Data on all practice and game injuries for the 2013–2014 season were collected using an injury report form. Injury rates were calculated according to site, type, and mechanism. Results: The overall injury rate was 3.83 per 1000 athlete-hours (AHs). The game injury rate (12.92/1000 AHs) was higher than the practice injury rate (3.13/1000 AHs; P basketball players. The high practice injury rate in this study may be due to specific factors related to growth, such as individual differences in height, or to skills, such as inexperience in ball handling. PMID:27922287

Gender and Self-Employment: The Role of Mini-Companies

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Vegard

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate to what degree participation in mini-companies impact young women and men with regard to the perceived desirability and perceived feasibility of self-employment. The Company Programme (CP) is the largest mini-company scheme in European secondary school. Design/methodology/approach: The data derived…

Base Oils Biodegradability Prediction with Data Mining Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malika Trabelsi

2010-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we apply various data mining techniques including continuous numeric and discrete classification prediction models of base oils biodegradability, with emphasis on improving prediction accuracy. The results show that highly biodegradable oils can be better predicted through numeric models. In contrast, classification models did not uncover a similar dichotomy. With the exception of Memory Based Reasoning and Decision Trees, tested classification techniques achieved high classification prediction. However, the technique of Decision Trees helped uncover the most significant predictors. A simple classification rule derived based on this predictor resulted in good classification accuracy. The application of this rule enables efficient classification of base oils into either low or high biodegradability classes with high accuracy. For the latter, a higher precision biodegradability prediction can be obtained using continuous modeling techniques.

Afrique : ressources minières, environnement et gouvernance ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

25 janv. 2011 ... ils regorgent de richesses inouïes », assure Bonnie Campbell, directrice du Groupe de recherche sur les activités minières en Afrique (GRAMA) et titulaire de la Chaire C.-A. Poissant de recherche sur la gouvernance et l'aide au développement, faisant référence aux ressources minières et pétrolières dont ...

MiniDLNA_tweaker : Aplicació per configurar i previsualitzar el servidor MiniDLNA per a GNU/Linux

OpenAIRE

Martínez Lloveras, Jordi

2013-01-01

L'aplicació MiniDLNA per a GNU/Linux és un servidor lleuger que compleix els estàndards DLNA/UPnP configurable a través d'un simple arxiu de text, això la fa ideal per al propòsit d'implantació d'un servidor que ofereixi els continguts a tots els dispositius que compleixin els estàndards esmentats. La aplicación MiniDLNA para GNU/Linux es un servidor ligero que cumple los estándares DLNA/UPnP configurable a través de un simple archivo de texto, esto la hace ideal para el propósito de impla...

Elevated Radiation Exposure Associated With Above Surface Flat Detector Mini C-Arm Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Dennis P; Chapman, Talia; Williamson, Christopher; Tinsley, Brian; Ilyas, Asif M; Wang, Mark L

2017-11-01

This study aims to test the hypothesis that: (1) radiation exposure is increased with the intended use of Flat Surface Image Intensifier (FSII) units above the operative surface compared with the traditional below-table configuration; (2) this differential increases in a dose-dependent manner; and (3) radiation exposure varies with body part and proximity to the radiation source. A surgeon mannequin was seated at a radiolucent hand table, positioned for volar distal radius plating. Thermoluminescent dosimeters measured exposure to the eyes, thyroid, chest, hand, and groin, for 1- and 15-minute trials from a mini C-arm FSII unit positioned above and below the operating surface. Background radiation was measured by control dosimeters placed within the operating theater. At 1-minute of exposure, hand and eye dosages were significantly greater with the flat detector positioned above the table. At 15-minutes of exposure, hand radiation dosage exceeded that of all other anatomic sites with the FSII in both positions. Hand exposure was increased in a dose-dependent manner with the flat detector in either position, whereas groin exposure saw a dose-dependent only with the flat detector beneath the operating table. These findings suggest that the surgeon's hands and eyes may incur greater radiation exposure compared with other body parts, during routine mini C-arm FSII utilization in its intended position above the operating table. The clinical impact of these findings remains unclear, and future long-term radiation safety investigation is warranted. Surgeons should take precautions to protect critical body parts, particularly when using FSII technology above the operating with prolonged exposure time.

Saponification of fatty slaughterhouse wastes for enhancing anaerobic biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Battimelli, Audrey; Carrère, Hélène; Delgenès, Jean-Philippe

2009-08-01

The thermochemical pretreatment by saponification of two kinds of fatty slaughterhouse waste--aeroflotation fats and flesh fats from animal carcasses--was studied in order to improve the waste's anaerobic degradation. The effect of an easily biodegradable compound, ethanol, on raw waste biodegradation was also examined. The aims of the study were to enhance the methanisation of fatty waste and also to show a link between biodegradability and bio-availability. The anaerobic digestion of raw waste, saponified waste and waste with a co-substrate was carried out in batch mode under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The results showed little increase in the total volume of biogas, indicating a good biodegradability of the raw wastes. Mean biogas volume reached 1200 mL/g VS which represented more than 90% of the maximal theoretical biogas potential. Raw fatty wastes were slowly biodegraded whereas pretreated wastes showed improved initial reaction kinetics, indicating a better initial bio-availability, particularly for mesophilic runs. The effects observed for raw wastes with ethanol as co-substrate depended on the process temperature: in mesophilic conditions, an initial improvement was observed whereas in thermophilic conditions a significant decrease in biodegradability was observed.

Biodegradable polymers for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Doppalapudi, Sindhu; Jain, Anjali; Domb, Abraham J; Khan, Wahid

2016-06-01

Biodegradable polymers have been used for more than three decades in cancer treatment and have received increased interest in recent years. A range of biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems designed for localized and systemic administration of therapeutic agents as well as tumor-targeting macromolecules has entered into the clinical phase of development, indicating the significance of biodegradable polymers in cancer therapy. This review elaborates upon applications of biodegradable polymers in the delivery and targeting of anti-cancer agents. Design of various drug delivery systems based on biodegradable polymers has been described. Moreover, the indication of polymers in the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs via passive, active targeting, and localized drug delivery are also covered. Biodegradable polymer-based drug delivery systems have the potential to deliver the payload to the target and can enhance drug availability at desired sites. Systemic toxicity and serious side effects observed with conventional cancer therapeutics can be significantly reduced with targeted polymeric systems. Still, there are many challenges that need to be met with respect to the degradation kinetics of the system, diffusion of drug payload within solid tumors, targeting tumoral tissue and tumor heterogeneity.

Agreement between clinical and MINI diagnoses in outpatients with mood and anxiety disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, F. E. A.; Swaab, L. S. M. A.; Carlier, I. V. E.; van Hemert, A. M.; Zitman, F. G.; Ruhé, H. G.; Schoevers, R. A.; Giltay, E. J.

2017-01-01

Background: Standardized Diagnostic Interviews (SDIs) such as the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) are widely used to systematically screen for psychiatric disorders in research. To support generalizability of results to clinical practice, we assessed agreement between the MINI

Durability of Starch Based Biodegradable Plastics Reinforced with Manila Hemp Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shinji Ochi

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The biodegradability of Manila hemp fiber reinforced biodegradable plastics was studied for 240 days in a natural soil and 30 days in a compost soil. After biodegradability tests, weights were measured and both tensile strength tests and microscopic observation were performed to evaluate the biodegradation behavior of the composites. The results indicate that the tensile strength of the composites displays a sharp decrease for up to five days, followed by a gradual decrease. The weight loss and the reduction in tensile strength of biodegradable composite materials in the compost soil are both significantly greater than those buried in natural soil. The biodegradability of these composites is enhanced along the lower portion because this area is more easily attacked by microorganisms.

Durability of Starch Based Biodegradable Plastics Reinforced with Manila Hemp Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochi, Shinji

2011-02-25

The biodegradability of Manila hemp fiber reinforced biodegradable plastics was studied for 240 days in a natural soil and 30 days in a compost soil. After biodegradability tests, weights were measured and both tensile strength tests and microscopic observation were performed to evaluate the biodegradation behavior of the composites. The results indicate that the tensile strength of the composites displays a sharp decrease for up to five days, followed by a gradual decrease. The weight loss and the reduction in tensile strength of biodegradable composite materials in the compost soil are both significantly greater than those buried in natural soil. The biodegradability of these composites is enhanced along the lower portion because this area is more easily attacked by microorganisms.

Do dual-thread orthodontic mini-implants improve bone/tissue mechanical retention?

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yang-Sung; Chang, Yau-Zen; Yu, Jian-Hong; Lin, Chun-Li

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to understand whether the pitch relationship between micro and macro thread designs with a parametrical relationship in a dual-thread mini-implant can improve primary stability. Three types of mini-implants consisting of single-thread (ST) (0.75 mm pitch in whole length), dual-thread A (DTA) with double-start 0.375 mm pitch, and dual-thread B (DTB) with single-start 0.2 mm pitch in upper 2-mm micro thread region for performing insertion and pull-out testing. Histomorphometric analysis was performed in these specimens in evaluating peri-implant bone defects using a non-contact vision measuring system. The maximum inserted torque (Tmax) in type DTA was found to be the smallest significantly, but corresponding values found no significant difference between ST and DTB. The largest pull-out strength (Fmax) in the DTA mini-implant was found significantly greater than that for the ST mini-implant regardless of implant insertion orientation. Mini-implant engaged the cortical bone well as observed in ST and DTA types. Dual-thread mini-implant with correct micro thread pitch (parametrical relationship with macro thread pitch) in the cortical bone region can improve primary stability and enhanced mechanical retention.

The Galactic Centre Mini-Spiral with CARMA

Science.gov (United States)

Kunneriath, D.; Eckart, A.; Vogel, S. N.; Teuben, P.; Muzic, K.; Schodel. R.; Garcia-Marin, M.; Moultaka, J.; Staguhn, J.; Straubmeier, C.;

Photovoltaic energy mini-generation: Future perspectives for Portugal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Duarte; Wemans, Joao; Lima, Joao; Malico, Isabel

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates the benefits of developing the mini-generation PV market in Portugal. It presents the legal framework and current status of the Portuguese PV electricity sector, and compares the country to other European nations: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. A model that combines PVGIS with a self-developed financial tool is used to assess the feasibility of a 150 kW mini-generation system using five different technologies: fixed mount, single-axis tracking, double-axis tracking, low concentration and medium concentration (MCPV). The profitability of the mini-generation systems in the seven countries studied is calculated and compared. According to this analysis, MCPV and, of the conventional technologies, the single-axis tracking systems are the most profitable technologies. Despite the attractiveness of the current Portuguese feed-in tariffs and of the abundant solar resource, investors are discouraged and the country's PV market is far from mature. Specific mini-generation regulations should focus on a fast and transparent licensing procedure and should promote the access to financing. This would attract new investments, which would result in the growth of the PV electricity produced, and would help Portugal to meet its European Union Renewable Energy targets. - Highlights: → This work promotes the development of a mini-generation PV market in Portugal. → The Portuguese current status and legal framework is compared to other EU countries. → The profitability of 5 different PV technologies is compared for 7 European countries. → The Portuguese growth potential for PV energy is still big. → Portugal, due to its radiation levels, presents excellent investment opportunities.

Biodegradation of plastics: current scenario and future prospects for environmental safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Temoor; Shahid, Muhammad; Azeem, Farrukh; Rasul, Ijaz; Shah, Asad Ali; Noman, Muhammad; Hameed, Amir; Manzoor, Natasha; Manzoor, Irfan; Muhammad, Sher

2018-03-01

Plastic is a general term used for a wide range of high molecular weight organic polymers obtained mostly from the various hydrocarbon and petroleum derivatives. There is an ever-increasing trend towards the production and consumption of plastics due to their extensive industrial and domestic applications. However, a wide spectrum of these polymers is non-biodegradable with few exceptions. The extensive use of plastics, lack of waste management, and casual community behavior towards their proper disposal pose a significant threat to the environment. This has raised growing concerns among various stakeholders to devise policies and innovative strategies for plastic waste management, use of biodegradable polymers especially in packaging, and educating people for their proper disposal. Current polymer degradation strategies rely on chemical, thermal, photo, and biological procedures. In the presence of proper waste management strategies coupled with industrially controlled biodegradation facilities, the use of biodegradable plastics for some applications such as packaging or health industry is a promising and attractive option for economic, environmental, and health benefits. This review highlights the classification of plastics with special emphasis on biodegradable plastics and their rational use, the identified mechanisms of plastic biodegradation, the microorganisms involved in biodegradation, and the current insights into the research on biodegradable plastics. The review has also identified the research gaps in plastic biodegradation followed by future research directions.

Biodegradation of creosote compounds: Comparison of experiments at different scales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broholm, K.; Arvin, Erik

2001-01-01

of the pyrroles on the biodegradation of benzene, and the biodegradation of benzothiophene occurs only in the presence of a primary substrate. The experiments show that some biodegradation processes of organic compounds may be common to different microorganisms.......This paper compares the results of biodegradation experiments with creosote compounds performed at different scales. The experiments include field observations, field experiments, large-scale intact laboratory column experiments, model fracture experiments, and batch experiments. Most...... of the experiments were conducted with till or ground water from the field site at Ringe on the island of Funen. Although the experiments were conducted on different scales, they revealed that some phenomena-e.g., an extensive biodegradation potential of several of the creosote compounds, the inhibitory influence...

Biodegradation of uranium-contaminated waste oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hary, L.F.

1983-01-01

The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant routinely generates quantities of uranium-contaminated waste oil. The current generation rate of waste oil is approximately 2000 gallons per year. The waste is presently biodegraded by landfarming on open field soil plots. However, due to the environmental concerns associated with this treatment process, studies were conducted to determine the optimum biodegradation conditions required for the destruction of this waste. Tests using respirometric flasks were conducted to determine the biodegradation rate for various types of Portsmouth waste oil. These tests were performed at three different loading rates, and on unfertilized and fertilized soil. Additional studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of open field landfarming versus treatment at a greenhouse-like enclosure for the purpose of maintaining soil temperatures above ambient conditions. The respirometric tests concluded that the optimum waste oil loading rate is 10% weight of oil-carbon/weight of soil (30,600 gallons of uranium-contaminated waste oil/acre) on soils with adjusted carbon:nitrogen and carbon:phosphorus ratios of 60:1 and 800:1, respectively. Also, calculational results indicated that greenhouse technology does not provide a significant increase in biodegradation efficiency. Based on these study results, a 6300 ft. 2 abandoned anaerobic digester sludge drying bed is being modified into a permanent waste oil biodegradation facility. The advantage of using this area is that uranium contamination will be contained by the bed's existing leachate collection system. This modified facility will be capable of handling approximately 4500 gallons of waste oil per year; accordingly current waste generation quantities will be satisfactorily treated. 15 refs., 14 figs., 4 tabs

Hydrocarbons biodegradation in unsaturated porous medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautier, C.

2007-12-01

Biological processes are expected to play an important role in the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. However, factors influencing the kinetics of biodegradation are still not well known, especially in the unsaturated zone. To address these biodegradation questions in the unsaturated zone an innovative experimental set up based on a physical column model was developed. This experimental set up appeared to be an excellent tool for elaboration of a structured porous medium, with well defined porous network and adjusted water/oil saturations. Homogeneous repartition of both liquid phases (i.e., aqueous and non aqueous) in the soil pores, which also contain air, was achieved using ceramic membranes placed at the bottom of the soil column. Reproducible interfaces (and connectivity) are developed between gas, and both non mobile water and NAPL phases, depending on the above-defined characteristics of the porous media and on the partial saturations of these three phases (NAPL, water and gas). A respirometric apparatus was coupled to the column. Such experimental set up have been validated with hexadecane in dilution in an HMN phase. This approach allowed detailed information concerning n-hexadecane biodegradation, in aerobic condition, through the profile of the oxygen consumption rate. We have taken benefit of this technique, varying experimental conditions, to determine the main parameters influencing the biodegradation kinetics and compositional evolution of hydrocarbons, under steady state unsaturated conditions and with respect to aerobic metabolism. Impacts of the nitrogen quantity and of three different grain sizes have been examined. Biodegradation of petroleum cut, as diesel cut and middle distillate without aromatic fraction, were, also studied. (author)

Biodegradability of bacterial surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Tânia M S; Procópio, Lorena C; Brandão, Felipe D; Carvalho, André M X; Tótola, Marcos R; Borges, Arnaldo C

2011-06-01

This work aimed at evaluating the biodegradability of different bacterial surfactants in liquid medium and in soil microcosms. The biodegradability of biosurfactants by pure and mixed bacterial cultures was evaluated through CO(2) evolution. Three bacterial strains, Acinetobacter baumanni LBBMA ES11, Acinetobacter haemolyticus LBBMA 53 and Pseudomonas sp. LBBMA 101B, used the biosurfactants produced by Bacillus sp. LBBMA 111A (mixed lipopeptide), Bacillus subtilis LBBMA 155 (lipopeptide), Flavobacterium sp. LBBMA 168 (mixture of flavolipids), Dietzia Maris LBBMA 191(glycolipid) and Arthrobacter oxydans LBBMA 201(lipopeptide) as carbon sources in minimal medium. The synthetic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was also mineralized by these microorganisms, but at a lower rate. CO(2) emitted by a mixed bacterial culture in soil microcosms with biosurfactants was higher than in the microcosm containing SDS. Biosurfactant mineralization in soil was confirmed by the increase in surface tension of the soil aqueous extracts after incubation with the mixed bacterial culture. It can be concluded that, in terms of biodegradability and environmental security, these compounds are more suitable for applications in remediation technologies in comparison to synthetic surfactants. However, more information is needed on structure of biosurfactants, their interaction with soil and contaminants and scale up and cost for biosurfactant production.

Design and Reproducibility of a Mini-Survey to Evaluate the Quality of Food Intake (Mini-ECCA in a Mexican Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Fernanda Bernal-Orozco

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Evaluating food intake quality may contribute to the development of nutrition programs. In Mexico, there are no screening tools that can be administered quickly for the evaluation of this variable. The aim was to determine the reproducibility of a mini-survey designed to evaluate the quality of food intake (Mini-ECCA in a Mexican population. Mini-ECCA consists of 12 questions that are based on Mexican and international recommendations for food and non-alcoholic beverage intake, with the support of photographs for food quantity estimation. Each question scores as 0 (unhealthy or 1 (healthy, and the final score undergoes a classification procedure. Through the framework of a nutritional study, 152 employees of the municipal water company in Guadalajara, Mexico (April–August 2016, were invited to participate. The survey was administered in two rounds (test and retest with a 15-day interval between them. We calculated the Spearman correlation coefficient, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC, and weighted kappa for score classification agreement (SPSS versus 14 p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The survey obtained a “good” reproducibility (ρ = 0.713, p < 0.001, and an excellent concordance (ICC = 0.841 Confidence Interval 95% 0.779, 0.885. It can thus be said that the Mini-ECCA displayed acceptable reproducibility and is suitable for the purpose of dietary assessment and guidance.

Paradigm shifts in orthodontic treatment with mini-implant anchorage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johnny Joung-Lin Liaw

2015-01-01

Full Text Available After the applications of mini-implant anchorage, the envelope of orthodontic treatment was expanded and some treatment modes were changed because of more predictable tooth movement with empowered anchorage. The author tried to share his experience of TADs applications for clarifying the paradigm shifts of orthodontic treatment assisted with the mini-implant anchorage.

Mini implants for definitive prosthodontic treatment: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bidra, Avinash S; Almas, Khalid

2013-03-01

Mini implants are commonly used in orthodontics and for interim prosthodontic treatment, but evidence for their use in definitive prosthodontic treatment is not clear. This systematic review evaluated the mini-implant literature to analyze short-term (1 to 5 years), medium-term (5 to 10 years), and long-term (beyond 10 years) survival rates when used for definitive prosthodontic treatment. An electronic search of the English language literature for articles published between January 1974 and May 2012 was performed by using PubMed and Cochrane databases with predetermined inclusion criteria. Key terms included in the search were mini dental implants, narrow diameter implants, reduced diameter implants, small diameter implants, transitional implants, interim implants, and provisional implants. After a systematic filtering process, the selected articles were subjected to a detailed review, and the data collected were used to calculate the 1-year interval survival rate (ISR) and the cumulative survival rate (CSR). The electronic database search yielded 1807 titles. By scrutinizing the titles and abstracts with inclusion and exclusion criteria, the researchers identified 9 studies of mini implants for definitive prosthodontic treatment. Of the studies identified, 1 was a randomized controlled trial, 2 were prospective studies, and 6 were retrospective studies. The majority of mini implants were placed by using a flapless surgical technique in the mandibular anterior region to support an overdenture. The 1st year ISR was 94.7% and the CSR over a 9-year period, primarily attributed to data from 1 study, was 92.2%. Most implants were immediately loaded and almost all implant failures occurred during the first year after implant placement. For short-term survival, the first year ISR of 94.7% of mini dental implants appears encouraging, but the true 1-year survival rate is unknown, as the minimum follow-up period reported for several implants was less than a year

Mini-Sniffer III on Lakebed with Ground Support Crew

Science.gov (United States)

1976-01-01

The third version of the Mini-Sniffer remotely-piloted research vehicle on Rogers Dry Lake, adjacent to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The futuristic-looking ground crew are in white, self-contained suits, because the engine on this third version of the Mini-Sniffer was powered by hydrazine, which is a very hazardous material. The Mini-Sniffer was a remotely controlled, propeller-driven vehicle developed at the NASA Flight Research Center (which became the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in 1976) as a potential platform to sample the upper atmosphere for pollution. The vehicle, flown from 1975 to 1977, was one of the earliest attempts by NASA to develop an aircraft that could sense turbulence and measure natural and human-produced atmospheric pollutants at altitudes above 80,000 feet with a variable-load propeller that was never flight-tested. Three Mini-Sniffer vehicles were built. The number 1 Mini-Sniffer vehicle had swept wings with a span of 18 feet and canards on the nose. It flew 12 flights with the gas-powered engine at low altitudes of around 2,500 feet. The number 1 vehicle was then modified into version number 2 by removing the canards and wing rudders and adding wing tips and tail booms. Twenty flights were made with this version, up to altitudes of 20,000 feet. The number 3 vehicle had a longer fuselage, was lighter in weight, and was powered by the non-air-breathing hydrazine engine designed by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This version was designed to fly a 25-pound payload to an altitude of 70,000 feet for one hour or to climb to 90,000 feet and glide back. The number 3 Mini-Sniffer made one flight to 20,000 feet and was not flown again because of a hydrazine leak problem. All three versions used a pusher propeller to free the nose area for an atmospheric-sampling payload. At various times the Mini-Sniffer has been considered for exploration in the carbon dioxide atmosphere of the

“Rational” Management of Dichlorophenols Biodegradation by the Microalga Scenedesmus obliquus

Science.gov (United States)

Papazi, Aikaterini; Kotzabasis, Kiriakos

2013-01-01

The microalga Scenedesmus obliquus exhibited the ability to biodegrade dichlorophenols (dcps) under specific autotrophic and mixotrophic conditions. According to their biodegradability, the dichlorophenols used can be separated into three distinct groups. Group I (2,4-dcp and 2,6 dcp – no meta-substitution) consisted of quite easily degraded dichlorophenols, since both chloride substituents are in less energetically demanding positions. Group II (2,3-dcp, 2,5-dcp and 3,4-dcp – one meta-chloride) was less susceptible to biodegradation, since one of the two substituents, the meta one, required higher energy for C-Cl-bond cleavage. Group III (3,5-dcp – two meta-chlorides) could not be biodegraded, since both chlorides possessed the most energy demanding positions. In general, when the dcp-toxicity exceeded a certain threshold, the microalga increased the energy offered for biodegradation and decreased the energy invested for biomass production. As a result, the biodegradation per cell volume of group II (higher toxicity) was higher, than group I (lower toxicity) and the biodegradation of dichlorophenols (higher toxicity) was higher than the corresponding monochlorophenols (lower toxicity). The participation of the photosynthetic apparatus and the respiratory mechanism of microalga to biodegrade the group I and the group II, highlighted different bioenergetic strategies for optimal management of the balance between dcp-toxicity, dcp-biodegradability and culture growth. Additionally, we took into consideration the possibility that the intermediates of each dcp-biodegradation pathway could influence differently the whole biodegradation procedures. For this reason, we tested all possible combinations of phenolic intermediates to check cometabolic interactions. The present contribution bring out the possibility of microalgae to operate as “smart” bioenergetic “machines”, that have the ability to continuously “calculate” the energy reserves and �

Biodegradable nanoparticles for gene therapy technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosseinkhani, Hossein; He, Wen-Jie; Chiang, Chiao-Hsi; Hong, Po-Da; Yu, Dah-Shyong; Domb, Abraham J.; Ou, Keng-Liang

2013-01-01

Rapid propagations in materials technology together with biology have initiated great hopes in the possibility of treating many diseases by gene therapy technology. Viral and non-viral gene carriers are currently applied for gene delivery. Non-viral technology is safe and effective for the delivery of genetic materials to cells and tissues. Non-viral systems are based on plasmid expression containing a gene encoding a therapeutic protein and synthetic biodegradable nanoparticles as a safe carrier of gene. Biodegradable nanoparticles have shown great interest in drug and gene delivery systems as they are easy to be synthesized and have no side effect in cells and tissues. This review provides a critical view of applications of biodegradable nanoparticles on gene therapy technology to enhance the localization of in vitro and in vivo and improve the function of administered genes

Neutrino-nucleus neutral current elastic interactions measurement in MiniBooNE

Science.gov (United States)

Perevalov, Denis

The MiniBooNE experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) was designed to search for numu → nu e neutrino oscillations at Deltam 2 ˜ 1 eV2 using an intense neutrino flux with an average energy Enu ˜ 700 MeV. From 2002 to 2009 MiniBooNE has accumulated more than 1.0x1021 protons on target (POT) in both neutrino and antineutrino modes. MiniBooNE provides a perfect platform for detailed measurements of exclusive and semi-inclusive neutrino cross-sections, for which MiniBooNE has the largest samples of events up to date, such as neutral current elastic (NCE), neutral current pi 0, charged current quasi-elastic (CCQE), charged current pi +, and other channels. These measured cross-sections, in turn, allow to improve the knowledge of nucleon structure. This thesis is devoted to the study of NCE interactions. Neutrino-nucleus neutral current elastic scattering (nuN → nu N) accounts for about 18% of all neutrino interactions in MiniBooNE. Using a high-statistics, high purity sample of NCE interactions in MiniBooNE, the flux-averaged NCE differential cross-section has been measured and is being reported here. Further study of the NCE cross-section allowed for probing the structure of nuclei. The main interest in the NCE cross-section is that it may be sensitive to the strange quark contribution to the nucleon spin, Deltas, this however requires a separation of NCE proton (nup → nu p) from NCE neutron (nun → nun ) events, which in general is a challenging task. MiniBooNE uses a Cherenkov detector, which imposes restrictions on the measured nucleon kinematic variables, mainly due to the impossibility to reconstruct the nucleon direction below the Cherenkov threshold. However, at kinetic energies above this threshold MiniBooNE is able to identify NCE proton events that do not experience final state interactions (FSI). These events were used for the Deltas measurement. In this thesis MiniBooNE reports the NCE (n+p) cross-section, the measurement

Grey water biodegradability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abu Ghunmi, L.; Zeeman, G.; Fayyad, M.; Van Lier, J.B.

2010-01-01

Knowing the biodegradability characteristics of grey water constituents is imperative for a proper design and operation of a biological treatment system of grey water. This study characterizes the different COD fractions of dormitory grey water and investigates the effect of applying different

Grey water biodegradability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abu Ghunmi, L.; Zeeman, G.; Fayyad, M.; Lier, van J.B.

2011-01-01

Knowing the biodegradability characteristics of grey water constituents is imperative for a proper design and operation of a biological treatment system of grey water. This study characterizes the different COD fractions of dormitory grey water and investigates the effect of applying different

Bio-Based Polymers with Potential for Biodegradability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas F. Garrison

2016-07-01

Full Text Available A variety of renewable starting materials, such as sugars and polysaccharides, vegetable oils, lignin, pine resin derivatives, and proteins, have so far been investigated for the preparation of bio-based polymers. Among the various sources of bio-based feedstock, vegetable oils are one of the most widely used starting materials in the polymer industry due to their easy availability, low toxicity, and relative low cost. Another bio-based plastic of great interest is poly(lactic acid (PLA, widely used in multiple commercial applications nowadays. There is an intrinsic expectation that bio-based polymers are also biodegradable, but in reality there is no guarantee that polymers prepared from biorenewable feedstock exhibit significant or relevant biodegradability. Biodegradability studies are therefore crucial in order to assess the long-term environmental impact of such materials. This review presents a brief overview of the different classes of bio-based polymers, with a strong focus on vegetable oil-derived resins and PLA. An entire section is dedicated to a discussion of the literature addressing the biodegradability of bio-based polymers.

Recommended safety objectives, principles and requirements for mini-reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

Canadian and international publications containing objectives, principles and requirements for the safety of nuclear facilities in general and nuclear power plants in particular have been reviewed for their relevance to mini-reactors. Most of the individual recommendations, sometimes with minor wording changes, are applicable to mini-reactors. However, some prescriptive requirements for the shutdown, emergency core cooling and containment systems of power reactors are considered inappropriate for mini-reactors. The Advisory Committee on Nuclear Safety favours a generally non-prescriptive approach whereby the applicant for a mini-reactor license is free to propose any means of satisfying the fundamental objectives, but must convince the regulatory agency to that effect. To do so, a probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) would be the favoured procedure. A generic PSA for all mini-reactors of the same design would be acceptable. Notwithstanding this non-prescriptive approach, the ACNS considers that it would be prudent to require the existence of at least one independent shutdown system and two physically independent locations from which the reactor can be shut down and the shutdown condition monitored, and to require provision for an assumed loss of integrity of the primary cooling system's boundary unless convincing arguments to the contrary are presented. The ACNS endorses in general the objectives and fundamental principles proposed by the interorganizational Small Reactor Criteria working group, and intends to review and comment on the documents on specific applications to be issued by that working group

Cryopreservation of boar semen in mini- and maxi-straws.

Science.gov (United States)

Bwanga, C O; de Braganca, M M; Einarsson, S; Rodriguez-Martinez, H

1990-10-01

Split ejaculates from four boars were frozen with a programmable freezing machine, in mini- (0.25 ml) and maxi- (5 ml) plastic straws with an extender at either acidic (6.3) or alkaline (7.4) pH. Glycerol (3%) was used as cryoprotectant. The freezing of the semen was monitored by way of thermocouples placed in the straws. Post-thaw motility and acrosome integrity were evaluated; the latter using phase contrast microscopy, eosin-nigrosin stain and electron microscopy. Post-thaw sperm motility was significantly higher when semen was frozen in mini-straws than in maxi-straws. For the mini-straws, the motility was better when semen was exposed to an acidic environment during freezing, but this beneficial effect of the low extracellular pH was not evident when maxi-straws were thawed. The motility of the spermatozoa diminished significantly during the thermoresistance test (0 h and 2 h time) at 37 degrees C in a similar way for both straws and extracellular pH's. The freezing procedure, no matter the extracellular pH, did not cause major acrosomal damages, but significantly more normal apical ridges were present in the mini-straws than in the maxi-straws. This in vitro evaluation indicated that the freezing method employed was better for mini- than for maxi-straws since the freezing of the 5 ml volumes was not homogeneous, due to the large section area between the surface and the core of the straw.

Impact of Mini-drone based Video Surveillance on Invasion of Privacy

OpenAIRE

Korshunov, Pavel; Bonetto, Margherita; Ebrahimi, Touradj; Ramponi, Giovanni

2015-01-01

An increase in adoption of video surveillance, affecting many aspects of daily lives, raises public concern about an intrusion into individual privacy. New sensing and surveillance technologies, such as mini-drones, threaten to eradicate boundaries of private space even more. Therefore, it is important to study the effect of mini-drones on privacy intrusion and to understand how existing protection privacy filters perform on a video captured by a mini-drone. To this end, we have built a publi...

Using Biowin, Bayes, and batteries to predict ready biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Boethling, Robert S; Lynch, David G; Jaworska, Joanna S; Tunkel, Jay L; Thom, Gary C; Webb, Simon

2004-04-01

Whether or not a given chemical substance is readily biodegradable is an important piece of information in risk screening for both new and existing chemicals. Despite the relatively low cost of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development tests, data are often unavailable and biodegradability must be estimated. In this paper, we focus on the predictive value of selected Biowin models and model batteries using Bayesian analysis. Posterior probabilities, calculated based on performance with the model training sets using Bayes' theorem, were closely matched by actual performance with an expanded set of 374 premanufacture notice (PMN) substances. Further analysis suggested that a simple battery consisting of Biowin3 (survey ultimate biodegradation model) and Biowin5 (Ministry of International Trade and Industry [MITI] linear model) would have enhanced predictive power in comparison to individual models. Application of the battery to PMN substances showed that performance matched expectation. This approach significantly reduced both false positives for ready biodegradability and the overall misclassification rate. Similar results were obtained for a set of 63 pharmaceuticals using a battery consisting of Biowin3 and Biowin6 (MITI nonlinear model). Biodegradation data for PMNs tested in multiple ready tests or both inherent and ready biodegradation tests yielded additional insights that may be useful in risk screening.

Biodegradable electroactive materials for tissue engineering applications

Science.gov (United States)

Guimard, Nathalie Kathryn

This dissertation focuses on the development of biomaterials that could be used to enhance the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves. These materials were designed to be electroactive, biodegradable, and biocompatible. To render the materials electroactive the author chose to incorporate conducting polymer (CP) units into the materials. Because CPs are inherently non-degradable, the key challenge was to create a CP-based material that was also biodegradable. Two strategies were explored to generate a biodegradable CP-based material. The first strategy centered around the incorporation of both electroactive and biodegradable subunits into a copolymer system. In the context of this approach, two bis(methoxyquaterthiophene)-co-adipic acid polyester (QAPE) analogues were successfully synthesized, one through polycondensation (giving undoped QAPE) and the second through oxidative polymerization (giving doped QAPE-2). QAPE was found to be electroactive by cyclic voltammetry, bioerodible, and cytocompatible with Schwann cells. QAPE was doped with ferric perchlorate, although only a low doping percentage was realized (˜8%). Oxidative polymerization of a bis(bithiophene) adipate permitted the direct synthesis of doped QAPE-2, which was found to have a higher doping level (˜24%). The second strategy pursued with the goal of generating an electroactive biodegradable material involved covalently immobilizing low molecular weight polythiophene chains onto the surface of crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) films. HA films are not only biodegradable and biocompatible, but they also provide mechanical integrity to bilayer systems. Dicyclocarbodiimide coupling of carboxylic acids to HA alcohol groups was used to functionalize HA films. The HA-polythiophene composite is still in the early stages of development. However, to date, thiophene has been successfully immobilized at the surface of HA films with a high degree of substitution. The author has also shown that thiophene

Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence Based Models for Chemical Biodegradability Prediction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandar Sabljic

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This study presents a review of biodegradability modeling efforts including a detailed assessment of two models developed using an artificial intelligence based methodology. Validation results for these models using an independent, quality reviewed database, demonstrate that the models perform well when compared to another commonly used biodegradability model, against the same data. The ability of models induced by an artificial intelligence methodology to accommodate complex interactions in detailed systems, and the demonstrated reliability of the approach evaluated by this study, indicate that the methodology may have application in broadening the scope of biodegradability models. Given adequate data for biodegradability of chemicals under environmental conditions, this may allow for the development of future models that include such things as surface interface impacts on biodegradability for example.

Hydrodynamics of a flexible plate between pitching rigid plates

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junyoung; Kim, Daegyoum

2017-11-01

The dynamics of a flexible plate have been studied as a model problem in swimming and flying of animals and fluid-structure interaction of plants and flags. Motivated by fish schooling and an array of sea grasses, we investigate the dynamics of a flexible plate closely placed between two pitching rigid plates. In most studies on passive deformation of the flexible plate, the plate is immersed in a uniform flow or a wavy flow. However, in this study, the flexible plate experiences periodic deformation by the oscillatory flow generated by the prescribed pitching motion of the rigid plates. In our model, the pitching axes of the rigid plates and the clamping position of the flexible plate are aligned on the same line. The flexible plate shows various responses depending on length and pitching frequency of rigid plates, thickness of a flexible plate, and free-stream velocity. To find the effect of each variable on the response of the flexible plate, amplitude of a trailing edge and modal contribution of a flapping motion are compared, and flow structure around the flexible plate is examined.

A DNA Mini-Barcoding System for Authentication of Processed Fish Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Shokralla, Shadi; Hellberg, Rosalee S; Handy, Sara M; King, Ian; Hajibabaei, Mehrdad

2015-10-30

Species substitution is a form of seafood fraud for the purpose of economic gain. DNA barcoding utilizes species-specific DNA sequence information for specimen identification. Previous work has established the usability of short DNA sequences-mini-barcodes-for identification of specimens harboring degraded DNA. This study aims at establishing a DNA mini-barcoding system for all fish species commonly used in processed fish products in North America. Six mini-barcode primer pairs targeting short (127-314 bp) fragments of the cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) DNA barcode region were developed by examining over 8,000 DNA barcodes from species in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Seafood List. The mini-barcode primer pairs were then tested against 44 processed fish products representing a range of species and product types. Of the 44 products, 41 (93.2%) could be identified at the species or genus level. The greatest mini-barcoding success rate found with an individual primer pair was 88.6% compared to 20.5% success rate achieved by the full-length DNA barcode primers. Overall, this study presents a mini-barcoding system that can be used to identify a wide range of fish species in commercial products and may be utilized in high throughput DNA sequencing for authentication of heavily processed fish products.

Scale up of diesel oil biodegradation in a baffled roller bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikakhtari, Hossein; Song, Wanning; Kumar, Pardeep; Nemati, Mehdi; Hill, Gordon A

2010-05-01

Diesel oil is a suitable substance to represent petroleum contamination from accidental spills in operating and transportation facilities. Using a microbial culture enriched from a petroleum contaminated soil, biodegradation of diesel oil was carried out in 2.2, 55, and 220 L roller baffled bioreactors. The effects of bioreactor rotation speed (from 5 to 45 rpm) and liquid loading (from 18% to 73% of total volume) on the biodegradation of diesel oil were studied. In the small scale bioreactor (2.2L), the maximum rotation speed of 45 rpm resulted in the highest biodegradation rate with a first order biodegradation kinetic constant of 0.095 d(-1). In the larger scale bioreactors, rotation speed did not affect the biodegradation rate. Liquid loadings higher than 64% resulted in reduced biodegradation rates in the small scale bioreactor; however, in the larger roller bioreactors liquid loading did not affect the biodegradation rate. Biodegradation of diesel oil at 5 rpm and 73% loading is recommended for operating large scale roller baffled bioreactors. Under these conditions, high diesel oil concentrations up to 50 gL(-1) can be bioremediated at a rate of 1.61 gL(-1)d(-1). Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodegradable materials as binders for IVth generation moulding sands

OpenAIRE

K. Major-Gabry

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on the possibility of using the biodegradable materials as binders (or parts of binders?compositions) for foundry moulding and core sands. Results showed that there is a great possibility of using available biodegradable materials as foundry moulding sand binders. Using biodegradable materials as partial content of new binders, or additives to moulding sands may not only decrease the toxicity and increase reclamation ability of tested moulding sands, but also accelerate the...

Mini mental state examination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kørner, Ejnar Alex; Lauritzen, Lise; Wang, August

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used in Denmark, but often in non-validated versions. In 2000 a cross-sectional workgroup decided on a new common version of the MMSE with a corresponding manual, which is validated for the first time in the present study. MATERIALS...... the severity of dementia disorders. Udgivelsesdato: 2008-Feb-25...

Chemical structure-based predictive model for methanogenic anaerobic biodegradation potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Meylan, William; Boethling, Robert; Aronson, Dallas; Howard, Philip; Tunkel, Jay

2007-09-01

Many screening-level models exist for predicting aerobic biodegradation potential from chemical structure, but anaerobic biodegradation generally has been ignored by modelers. We used a fragment contribution approach to develop a model for predicting biodegradation potential under methanogenic anaerobic conditions. The new model has 37 fragments (substructures) and classifies a substance as either fast or slow, relative to the potential to be biodegraded in the "serum bottle" anaerobic biodegradation screening test (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Guideline 311). The model correctly classified 90, 77, and 91% of the chemicals in the training set (n = 169) and two independent validation sets (n = 35 and 23), respectively. Accuracy of predictions of fast and slow degradation was equal for training-set chemicals, but fast-degradation predictions were less accurate than slow-degradation predictions for the validation sets. Analysis of the signs of the fragment coefficients for this and the other (aerobic) Biowin models suggests that in the context of simple group contribution models, the majority of positive and negative structural influences on ultimate degradation are the same for aerobic and methanogenic anaerobic biodegradation.

Implementing the undergraduate mini-CEX: a tailored approach at Southampton University.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Faith; Kendall, Kathleen; Galbraith, Kevin; Crossley, Jim

2009-04-01

The mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) is widely used in the UK to assess clinical competence, but there is little evidence regarding its implementation in the undergraduate setting. This study aimed to estimate the validity and reliability of the undergraduate mini-CEX and discuss the challenges involved in its implementation. A total of 3499 mini-CEX forms were completed. Validity was assessed by estimating associations between mini-CEX score and a number of external variables, examining the internal structure of the instrument, checking competency domain response rates and profiles against expectations, and by qualitative evaluation of stakeholder interviews. Reliability was evaluated by overall reliability coefficient (R), estimation of the standard error of measurement (SEM), and from stakeholders' perceptions. Variance component analysis examined the contribution of relevant factors to students' scores. Validity was threatened by various confounding variables, including: examiner status; case complexity; attachment specialty; patient gender, and case focus. Factor analysis suggested that competency domains reflect a single latent variable. Maximum reliability can be achieved by aggregating scores over 15 encounters (R = 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] +/- 0.28 based on a 6-point assessment scale). Examiner stringency contributed 29% of score variation and student attachment aptitude 13%. Stakeholder interviews revealed staff development needs but the majority perceived the mini-CEX as more reliable and valid than the previous long case. The mini-CEX has good overall utility for assessing aspects of the clinical encounter in an undergraduate setting. Strengths include fidelity, wide sampling, perceived validity, and formative observation and feedback. Reliability is limited by variable examiner stringency, and validity by confounding variables, but these should be viewed within the context of overall assessment strategies.

A high-resolution mini-microscope system for wireless real-time monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zongjie; Boddeda, Akash; Parker, Benjamin; Samanipour, Roya; Ghosh, Sanjoy; Menard, Frederic; Kim, Keekyoung

2017-09-04

Compact, cost-effective and high-performance microscope that enables the real-time imaging of cells and lab-on-a-chip devices is highly demanded for cell biology and biomedical engineering. This paper aims to present the design and application of an inexpensive wireless mini-microscope with resolution up to 2592 × 1944 pixels and speed up to 90 fps. The mini-microscope system was built on a commercial embedded system (Raspberry Pi). We modified a camera module and adopted an inverse dual lens system to obtain the clear field of view and appropriate magnification for tens of micrometer objects. The system was capable of capturing time-lapse images and transferring image data wirelessly. The entire system can be operated wirelessly and cordlessly in a conventional cell culturing incubator. The developed mini-microscope was used to monitor the attachment and proliferation of NIH-3T3 and HEK 293 cells inside an incubator for 50 hours. In addition, the mini-microscope was used to monitor a droplet generation process in a microfluidic device. The high-quality images captured by the mini-microscope enabled us an automated analysis of experimental parameters. The successful applications prove the great potential of the developed mini-microscope for monitoring various biological samples and microfluidic devices. This paper presents the design of a high resolution mini-microscope system that enables the wireless real-time imaging of cells inside the incubator. This system has been verified to be a useful tool to obtain high-quality images and videos for the automated quantitative analysis of biological samples and lab-on-a-chip devices in the long term.

PARTICIPATION OF MINI-BASKETBALL PLAYERS DURING SMALL-SIDED COMPETITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M\\u00AA Isabel Pi\\u00F1ar

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This study presents the differences of competition between mini-basketball with the traditional rules (5-a-side and minibasket with rule modifications (3-a-side such as: reduced number of players on court, compulsory participation in 2 of the match's 4 periods, reduced court size, placing the free throw line at 3m from the basket, and including a three-point line. The sample that was selected included 47 mini-basketball players, and the study was carried out using a quasi-experimental design without a control group. The aim was to determine the effect of rule modifications on the participation of the player with the ball. It was demonstrated that the degree of individual participation is greater in mini-basketball with modified rules.

Two mini-preparation protocols to DNA extraction from plants with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Were standardized two previously reported standard plant DNA extraction methods, but improved them on mini preparations to use the samples for population genetic analysis. The combination of CTAB lysis procedure-solvent extraction and DNA column purification (DNeasy plant mini kit modification) enables a faster and ...

High-flying Mini-Sniffer RPV - Mars bound

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, R. D.

1978-01-01

The Mini-Sniffer is a small unmanned survey aircraft developed by NASA to conduct turbulence and atmospheric pollution measurements from ground level to an altitude of 90,000 ft. Carrying a 25-lb air sampling apparatus, the Mini-Sniffer typically cruises for one hour at 70,000 ft before being remotely piloted back to earth. A hydrazine monopropellant engine powers the craft, while a PCM telemetering system and a radar transponder provide control functions. Development of a high-performance low-Reynolds-number airfoil could make the research craft suitable for a low-altitude terrain-following mission on Mars.

The Mini-Social Phobia Inventory: psychometric properties in an adolescent general population sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranta, Klaus; Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu; Rantanen, Päivi; Marttunen, Mauri

2012-07-01

Onset of social phobia (SP) typically occurs in adolescence. Short screening instruments for its assessment are needed for use in primary health and school settings. The 3-item Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) has demonstrated effectiveness in screening for generalized SP (GSP) in adults. This study examined the psychometrics of the Mini-SPIN in an adolescent general population sample. Three hundred fifty adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were clinically interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version for identification of SP and other Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Axis I disorders, blind to their Mini-SPIN status. Associations between SP; subclinical SP; other anxiety, depressive, and disruptive disorders; and Mini-SPIN scores were examined, and diagnostic efficiency statistics were calculated. The association between Mini-SPIN scores and the generalized subtype of SP was also examined. As in adults, the Mini-SPIN items differentiated subjects with SP from those without. A score of 6 points or greater was found optimal in predicting SP with a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 84%, and positive and negative predictive values of 26% and 99%. The Mini-SPIN also possessed discriminative validity, as scores were higher for adolescents with SP than they were for those with depressive, disruptive, and other anxiety disorders. The Mini-SPIN was also able to differentiate adolescents with GSP from the rest of the sample. The Mini-SPIN has good psychometrics for screening SP in adolescents from general population and may have value in screening for GSP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of resorcinol byPseudomonas sp.

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Nader Hajizadeh; Najibeh Shirzad; Ali Farzi; Mojtaba Salouti; Azra Momeni

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective:To investigate the ability ofPseudomonas sp. isolated from East Azarbaijan, Iran in bioremediation of resorcinol. Methods: Resorcinol biodegradation was evaluated using spectrophotometry and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Results:This isolate was able to remove up to 37.12% of resorcinol from contaminated water. Reusability experiments had confirmed the biodegradation process which produced seven intermediate compounds. These intermediates were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy technique. The products of resorcinol biodegradation were apparently 1, 4-cyclohexadiene, nonadecene, 2-heptadecanone, 1-isopropyl-2-methoxy-4-methylbenzene, hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenoic acid, phenol and 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl). Conclusions: The findings revealed thatPseudomonas sp. is able to degrade resorcinol. Because of being an indigenous organism, this isolate is more compatible with the climate of the northwest region of Iran and possibly will be used for degradation of other similar aromatic compounds.

Tourette Syndrome: A Mini-Review

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Michal Novotny

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this mini-review is to provide the latest information on epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of Tourette syndrome (TS. The authors conducted a literature search of available sources describing the issue of tic disorders with special focus on TS and made a comparison and evaluation of relevant findings. The results of this mini-review indicate that TS is a complex disorder, which has a significant impact on the quality of life of both the patients and his/her family. Therefore, early and proper diagnosis and treatment are necessary in order to reduce or even eliminate both symptoms and social burden of the patient. This requires a multidisciplinary management approach in order to meet the patients’ special needs. Future research should focus on neuroimaging, new neurotransmitter targets, in functional neurosurgery, as well as the effect of non-pharmacological psychotherapies for these people.

Effects of chronic pollution and water flow intermittency on stream biofilms biodegradation capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rožman, Marko; Acuña, Vicenç; Petrović, Mira

2018-02-01

A mesocosm case study was conducted to gain understanding and practical knowledge on biofilm emerging contaminants biodegradation capacity under stressor and multiple stressor conditions. Two real life scenarios: I) biodegradation in a pristine intermittent stream experiencing acute pollution and II) biodegradation in a chronically polluted intermittent stream, were examined via a multifactorial experiment using an artificial stream facility. Stream biofilms were exposed to different water flow conditions i.e. permanent and intermittent water flow. Venlafaxine, a readily biodegradable pharmaceutical was used as a measure of biodegradation capacity while pollution was simulated by a mixture of four emerging contaminants (erythromycin, sulfisoxazole, diclofenac and imidacloprid in addition to venlafaxine) in environmentally relevant concentrations. Biodegradation kinetics monitored via LC-MS/MS was established, statistically evaluated, and used to link biodegradation with stress events. The results suggest that the effects of intermittent flow do not hinder and may even stimulate pristine biofilm biodegradation capacity. Chronic pollution completely reduced biodegradation in permanent water flow experimental treatments while no change in intermittent streams was observed. A combined effect of water flow conditions and emerging contaminants exposure on biodegradation was found. The decrease in biodegradation due to exposure to emerging contaminants is significantly greater in streams with permanent water flow suggesting that the short and medium term biodegradation capacity in intermittent systems may be preserved or even greater than in perennial streams. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modern mass spectrometry in the characterization and degradation of biodegradable polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizzarelli, Paola; Carroccio, Sabrina

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Recent trends in the structural characterization of biodegradable polymers by MALDI and ESI MS are discussed. •MALDI MS as a noteworthy tool to follow the synthetic polymerization route of biodegradable materials is evidenced. •Elucidation of degradation mechanisms by modern MS techniques is examined. •ESI MS and HPLC–ESI MS are highlighted as highly suitable methods for structural and quantitative analysis of water-soluble biodegradation products. •Novel MS methods developed ad hoc and new MALDI matrices for biodegradable polymers are reviewed. -- Abstract: In the last decades, the solid-waste management related to the extensively growing production of plastic materials, in concert with their durability, have stimulated increasing interest in biodegradable polymers. At present, a variety of biodegradable polymers has already been introduced onto the market and can now be competitive with non biodegradable thermoplastics in different fields (packaging, biomedical, textile, etc.). However, a significant economical effort is still directed in tailoring structural properties in order to further broaden the range of applications without impairing biodegradation. Improving the performance of biodegradable materials requires a good characterization of both physico-chemical and mechanical parameters. Polymer analysis can involve many different features including detailed characterization of chemical structures and compositions as well as average molecular mass determination. It is of outstanding importance in troubleshooting of a polymer manufacturing process and for quality control, especially in biomedical applications. This review describes recent trends in the structural characterization of biodegradable materials by modern mass spectrometry (MS). It provides an overview of the analytical tools used to evaluate their degradation. Several successful applications of MALDI-TOF MS (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization

Modern mass spectrometry in the characterization and degradation of biodegradable polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rizzarelli, Paola, E-mail: paola.rizzarelli@cnr.it; Carroccio, Sabrina

2014-01-15

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •Recent trends in the structural characterization of biodegradable polymers by MALDI and ESI MS are discussed. •MALDI MS as a noteworthy tool to follow the synthetic polymerization route of biodegradable materials is evidenced. •Elucidation of degradation mechanisms by modern MS techniques is examined. •ESI MS and HPLC–ESI MS are highlighted as highly suitable methods for structural and quantitative analysis of water-soluble biodegradation products. •Novel MS methods developed ad hoc and new MALDI matrices for biodegradable polymers are reviewed. -- Abstract: In the last decades, the solid-waste management related to the extensively growing production of plastic materials, in concert with their durability, have stimulated increasing interest in biodegradable polymers. At present, a variety of biodegradable polymers has already been introduced onto the market and can now be competitive with non biodegradable thermoplastics in different fields (packaging, biomedical, textile, etc.). However, a significant economical effort is still directed in tailoring structural properties in order to further broaden the range of applications without impairing biodegradation. Improving the performance of biodegradable materials requires a good characterization of both physico-chemical and mechanical parameters. Polymer analysis can involve many different features including detailed characterization of chemical structures and compositions as well as average molecular mass determination. It is of outstanding importance in troubleshooting of a polymer manufacturing process and for quality control, especially in biomedical applications. This review describes recent trends in the structural characterization of biodegradable materials by modern mass spectrometry (MS). It provides an overview of the analytical tools used to evaluate their degradation. Several successful applications of MALDI-TOF MS (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization

User’s Guide for Biodegradation Reactions in TMVOCBio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Yoojin [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Battistelli, Alfredo [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-08-31

TMVOCBio is an extended version of the TMVOC numerical reservoir simulator, with the capability of simulating multiple biodegradation reactions mediated by different microbial populations or based on different redox reactions, thus involving different electron acceptors. This modeling feature is implemented within the existing TMVOC module in iTOUGH2. TMVOCBio, originally developed by Battistelli (2003; 2004), uses a general modified form of the Monod kinetic rate equation to simulate biodegradation reactions, which effectively simulates the uptake of a substrate while accounting for various limiting factors (i.e., the limitation by substrate, electron acceptor, or nutrients). Two approaches are included: 1) a multiple Monod kinetic rate equation, which assumes all the limiting factors simultaneously affect the substrate uptake rate, and 2) a minimum Monod model, which assumes that the substrate uptake rate is controlled by the most limiting factor among those acting for the specific substrate. As the limiting factors, biomass growth inhibition, toxicity effects, as well as competitive and non-competitive inhibition effects are included. The temperature and moisture dependence of biodegradation reactions is also considered. This report provides mathematical formulations and assumptions used for modeling the biodegradation reactions, and describes additional modeling capabilities. Detailed description of input format for biodegradation reactions is presented along with sample problems.

The Effect of Tertiary Butyl Hydroquinone on the Biodegradability of Palm Olein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel ALUYOR

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Poor oxidative stability is demonstrated by most vegetable oils especially in industrial situations. Antioxidants are widely used for overcoming poor oxidative stability in vegetable oils. The adverse effect of additives on the overall biodegradability of vegetable oil based industrial fluids could however be a concern. Biodegradability provides an indication of the persistence of any particular substance in the environment. The superior biodegradation of vegetable oils in comparison with mineral based oils has been demonstrated severally, leaving scientists with the lone challenge of finding economic and safe means to improve their working efficiency in terms of their poor oxidative stability. This study investigated the extent to which the use of the antioxidant Tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ in palm olein impaired biodegradability, and described the relationship between antioxidant loading and biodegradability. Increased antioxidant loading resulted in a matching decrease in biodegradability. Using the total cumulative oxygen depletion value of pure refined palm olein at the end of the 28 day period as a standard of comparison, a 0.02% concentration of TBHQ in palm olein resulted in a 25% loss in biodegradability; a 2% concentration of TBHQ resulted in a 56.5% loss in biodegradability. At 6% TBHQ concentration, no biodegradation was observed in the palm olein sample studied.

The experiment of magnesium ECAP miniplate as alternative biodegradable material (on male white New Zealand rabbits)

Science.gov (United States)

Wiwanto, Siska; Sulistyani, Lilies Dwi; Latief, Fourier Dzar Eljabbar; Supriadi, Sugeng; Priosoeryanto, Bambang Pontjo; Latief, Benny Syariefsyah

2018-02-01

Study of biodegradations of Magnesium ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) miniplate in the osteosynthesis system has been used as a new material for plate and screw in oral and maxillofacial surgery. This miniplate and screw that were made of Magnesium ECAP were implanted in the femurs of New Zealand rabbits. The degradation process was detected through pocket gas that appeared in hard and soft tissues surrounding in the implanted miniplates and screws. From the changes on the tissues, we can assess the biodegradation process by measuring the gas pocket through micro-CT Scan. Upon the first month of study we euthanized the rabbits and made a micro-CT Scan to see how far the effect of the gas pocket was. Histological analyses were performed to investigate the local tissue response adjacent to the Magnesium ECAP miniplates. We analyzed the femur of a rabbit a month, three months, and five months after implantation. The result showed a degradation rate in the implanted Magnesium ECAP miniplate of 0.61±0.39 mm/year. Unlike the screws, miniplates have higher water content and blood flow than bone, therefore they degrade faster. This study shows promising results for further development of Magnesium ECAP and in the production of osteosynthesis material for rigid fixation in Oral and Maxillofacial skeleton.

Lignin biodegradation by the ascomycete Chrysonilia sitophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, J; Ferraz, A; Nogueira, R F; Ferrer, I; Esposito, E; Durán, N

1997-01-01

The lignin biodegradation process has an important role in the carbon cycle of the biosphere. The study of this natural process has developed mainly with the use of basidiomycetes in laboratory investigations. This has been a logical approach since most of the microorganisms involved in lignocellulosic degradation belong to this class of fungi. However, other microorganisms such as ascomycetes and also some bacteria, are involved in the lignin decaying process. This work focuses on lignin biodegradation by a microorganism belonging to the ascomycete class, Chrysonilia sitophila. Lignin peroxidase production and characterization, mechanisms of lignin degradation (lignin model compounds and lignin in wood matrix) and biosynthesis of veratryl alcohol are outstanding. Applications of C. sitophila for effluent treatment, wood biodegradation and single-cell protein production are also discussed.

Rasch analysis of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (mini-MAC) among a heterogeneous sample of long-term cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zucca, Alison; Lambert, Sylvie D; Boyes, Allison W; Pallant, Julie F

2012-05-20

The mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (mini-MAC) is a well-recognised, popular measure of coping in psycho-oncology and assesses five cancer-specific coping strategies. It has been suggested that these five subscales could be grouped to form the over-arching adaptive and maladptive coping subscales to facilitate the interpretation and clinical application of the scale. Despite the popularity of the mini-MAC, few studies have examined its psychometric properties among long-term cancer survivors, and further validation of the mini-MAC is needed to substantiate its use with the growing population of survivors. Therefore, this study examined the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the mini-MAC in a sample of long-term cancer survivors using Rasch analysis. RUMM 2030 was used to analyse the mini-MAC data (n=851). Separate Rasch analyses were conducted for each of the original mini-MAC subscales as well as the over-arching adaptive and maladaptive coping subscales to examine summary and individual model fit statistics, person separation index (PSI), response format, local dependency, targeting, item bias (or differential item functioning -DIF), and dimensionality. For the fighting spirit, fatalism, and helplessness-hopelessness subscales, a revised three-point response format seemed more optimal than the original four-point response. To achieve model fit, items were deleted from four of the five subscales - Anxious Preoccupation items 7, 25, and 29; Cognitive Avoidance items 11 and 17; Fighting Spirit item 18; and Helplessness-Hopelessness items 16 and 20. For those subscales with sufficient items, analyses supported unidimensionality. Combining items to form the adaptive and maladaptive subscales was partially supported. The original five subscales required item deletion and/or rescaling to improve goodness of fit to the Rasch model. While evidence was found for overarching subscales of adaptive and maladaptive coping, extensive modifications were

Rasch analysis of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (mini-MAC among a heterogeneous sample of long-term cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zucca Alison

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (mini-MAC is a well-recognised, popular measure of coping in psycho-oncology and assesses five cancer-specific coping strategies. It has been suggested that these five subscales could be grouped to form the over-arching adaptive and maladptive coping subscales to facilitate the interpretation and clinical application of the scale. Despite the popularity of the mini-MAC, few studies have examined its psychometric properties among long-term cancer survivors, and further validation of the mini-MAC is needed to substantiate its use with the growing population of survivors. Therefore, this study examined the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the mini-MAC in a sample of long-term cancer survivors using Rasch analysis. Methods RUMM 2030 was used to analyse the mini-MAC data (n=851. Separate Rasch analyses were conducted for each of the original mini-MAC subscales as well as the over-arching adaptive and maladaptive coping subscales to examine summary and individual model fit statistics, person separation index (PSI, response format, local dependency, targeting, item bias (or differential item functioning -DIF, and dimensionality. Results For the fighting spirit, fatalism, and helplessness-hopelessness subscales, a revised three-point response format seemed more optimal than the original four-point response. To achieve model fit, items were deleted from four of the five subscales – Anxious Preoccupation items 7, 25, and 29; Cognitive Avoidance items 11 and 17; Fighting Spirit item 18; and Helplessness-Hopelessness items 16 and 20. For those subscales with sufficient items, analyses supported unidimensionality. Combining items to form the adaptive and maladaptive subscales was partially supported. Conclusions The original five subscales required item deletion and/or rescaling to improve goodness of fit to the Rasch model. While evidence was found for overarching subscales of

Durability of Starch Based Biodegradable Plastics Reinforced with Manila Hemp Fibers

OpenAIRE

Shinji Ochi

2011-01-01

The biodegradability of Manila hemp fiber reinforced biodegradable plastics was studied for 240 days in a natural soil and 30 days in a compost soil. After biodegradability tests, weights were measured and both tensile strength tests and microscopic observation were performed to evaluate the biodegradation behavior of the composites. The results indicate that the tensile strength of the composites displays a sharp decrease for up to five days, followed by a gradual decrease. The weight loss a...

Irradiation behavior of experimental miniature uranium silicide fuel plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofman, Gerard L.; Neimark, L.A.; Mattas, R.F.

1983-01-01

Uranium silicides, because of their relatively high uranium density, were selected as candidate dispersion fuels for the higher fuel densities required in the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program. Irradiation experience with this type of fuel, however, was limited to relatively modest fission densities in the bulk form, on the order of 7 x 10 20 cm -3 , far short of he approximately 20 x 10 20 cm -3 goal established for the RERTR Program. The purpose of the irradiation experiments on silicide fuels in the ORR, therefore, was to investigate the intrinsic irradiation behavior of uranium silicide as a dispersion fuel. Of particular interest was the interaction between the silicide particles and the aluminum matrix, the swelling behavior of the silicide particles, and the maximum volume fraction of silicide particles that could be contained in the aluminum matrix. The first group of experimental 'mini' fuel plates have recently reached the program's goal burnup and are in various stages of examination. Although the results to date indicate some limitations, it appears that within the range of parameters examined thus far the uranium silicide dispersion holds promise for satisfying most of the needs of the RERTR Program. The twelve experimental silicide dispersion fuel plates that were irradiated to approximately their goal exposure show the 30-vol % U 3 Si-Al plates to be in a stage of relatively rapid fission-gas-driven swelling at a fission density of 2 x 10 20 cm -3 . This fuel swelling will likely result in unacceptably large plate-thickness increases. The U 3 Si plates appear to be superior in this respect; however, they, too, are starting to move into the rapid fuel-swelling stage. Analysis of the currently available post irradiation data indicates that a 40-vol % dispersed fuel may offer an acceptable margin to the onset of unstable thickness changes at exposures of 2 x 10 21 fission/cm 3 . The interdiffusion between fuel and matrix

Biodegradation of vapor-phase toluene in unsaturated porous media: Column experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Ali M.; Wick, Lukas Y.; Harms, Hauke; Thullner, Martin

2016-01-01

Biodegradation of organic chemicals in the vapor phase of soils and vertical flow filters has gained attention as promising approach to clean up volatile organic compounds (VOC). The drivers of VOC biodegradation in unsaturated systems however still remain poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the processes controlling aerobic VOC biodegradation in a laboratory setup mimicking the unsaturated zone above a shallow aquifer. The setup allowed for diffusive vapor-phase transport and biodegradation of three VOC: non-deuterated and deuterated toluene as two compounds of highly differing biodegradability but (nearly) identical physical and chemical properties, and MTBE as (at the applied experimental conditions) non-biodegradable tracer and internal control. Our results showed for toluene an effective microbial degradation within centimeter VOC transport distances despite high gas-phase diffusivity. Degradation rates were controlled by the reactivity of the compounds while oxic conditions were found everywhere in the system. This confirms hypotheses that vadose zone biodegradation rates can be extremely high and are able to prevent the outgassing of VOC to the atmosphere within a centimeter range if compound properties and site conditions allow for sufficiently high degradation rates. - Highlights: • The column setup allows resolving vapor-phase VOC concentration gradients at cm scale resolution. • Vapor-phase and liquid-phase concentrations are measured simultaneously. • Isotopically labelled VOC was used as reference species of low biodegradability. • Biodegradation rates in the unsaturated zone can be very high and act at a cm scale. • Unsaturated material can be an effective bio-barrier avoiding biodegradable VOC emissions. - Microbial degradation activity can be sufficient to remove VOC from unsaturated porous media after a few centimeter of vapor-phase diffusive transport and mayeffectively avoid atmospheric emissions.

[The mini-open Latarjet procedure for treatment of recurrent anterior instability of the shoulder].

Science.gov (United States)

Pogorzelski, J; Beitzel, K; Imhoff, A B; Braun, S

2016-12-01

Shoulder stabilization. Symptomatic recurrent anterior shoulder instability combined with glenoid bone loss of approximately 20-35 % of the glenoid surface, engaging Hill-Sachs lesion and/or previously failed arthroscopic Bankart repair. In patients with a high risk of redislocation (contact sports) or irreparable soft tissue injury the Latarjet procedure can be considered as a first-line treatment. Contraindicated if arthroscopic Bankart repair is possible. Irreparable damage of subscapularis tendon. Bony defect >35 % of the glenoid that cannot be filled with coracoid bone block. Arbitrary shoulder dislocation. Young patients with open growth plates (relative contraindication). Mini-open deltopectoral approach of approximately 6 cm. Preparation of the coracoid process and the conjoined tendons. Osteotomy of the coracoid process at its base using a 90° sawblade. Split of the subscapularis tendon. Preparation of the glenoid defect and implantation of 2-3 suture anchors where appropriate. Drilling of two parallel holes through the coracoid process. Fixation of the bone block with cannulated screws at the anterior glenoid rim and refixation of the joint capsula, if necessary with the help of the suture anchors. Wound drainage and closure in layers. Intermittent immobilization in a sling for 6 weeks with limited abduction, flexion and external rotation. Sport-specific training after 3 months, over-head sports after 6 months. Since 2009 64 mini-open Latarjet procedures (61 patients) performed. In all, 9.4 % of patients suffered from persistent instability (dislocations and subluxations); only 1 patient needed revision surgery due to instability.

A preliminary study of the mini-mental state examination in a Spanish child population.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubial-Alvarez, Sandra; Machado, María-Clara; Sintas, Elena; de Sola, Susana; Böhm, Peter; Peña-Casanova, Jordi

2007-11-01

The Mini-Mental State Examination is one of the most widely used screening tests for the adult population in daily neurologic practice. The aim of this study was to describe and to analyze the results of the Mini-Mental State Examination administered to Spanish children and to assess the relationship between Mini-Mental State Examination scores and the child's mental age/intelligence quotient. The study population included 181 children whose ages ranged between 4 and 12 years. The neuropsychologic battery consisted of the Mini-Mental State Examination and Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test. Percentiles were obtained for the Mini-Mental State Examination total score according to age ranges. Performance gradually increased from 4 to 10 years of age when a plateau in the total Mini-Mental State Examination score was reached. At the age of 6 years, results exceeded 24 on average. Pairwise mean comparisons showed statistically significant differences between the age groups (P Mini-Mental State Examination score correlated significantly with the child's chronologic (r = 0.80, P mental (r = 0.76, P Mini-Mental State Examination in a Spanish child population as well as a first step for the assessment of the usefulness of this instrument as a cognitive screening tool for children's development.

Satisfaction, function and repair integrity after arthroscopic versus mini-open rotator cuff repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, L A Fink; Kim, H M; Caldwell, J-M; Buza, J; Ahmad, C S; Bigliani, L U; Levine, W N

2017-02-01

Advances in arthroscopic techniques for rotator cuff repair have made the mini-open approach less popular. However, the mini-open approach remains an important technique for repair for many surgeons. The aims of this study were to compare the integrity of the repair, the function of the shoulder and satisfaction post-operatively using these two techniques in patients aged > 50 years. We identified 22 patients treated with mini-open and 128 patients treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of July 2007 and June 2011. The mean follow-up was two years (1 to 5). Outcome was assessed using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores, and satisfaction. The integrity of the repair was assessed using ultrasonography. A power analysis ensured sufficient enrolment. There was no statistically significant difference between the age, function, satisfaction, or pain scores (p > 0.05) of the two groups. The integrity of the repair and the mean SST scores were significantly better in the mini-open group (91% of mini-open repairs were intact versus 60% of arthroscopic repairs, p = 0.023; mean SST score 10.9 (standard deviation (sd) 1.3) in the mini-open group; 8.9 (sd 3.5) in arthroscopic group; p = 0.003). The ASES scores were also higher in the mini-open group (mean ASES score 91.0 (sd 10.5) in mini-open group; mean 82.70 (sd 19.8) in the arthroscopic group; p = 0.048). The integrity of the repair and function of the shoulder were better after a mini-open repair than after arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff tear in these patients. The functional difference did not translate into a difference in satisfaction. Mini-open rotator cuff repair remains a useful technique despite advances in arthroscopy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:245-9. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Synthetic biodegradable functional polymers for tissue engineering: a brief review

OpenAIRE

BaoLin, GUO; MA, Peter X.

2014-01-01

Scaffolds play a crucial role in tissue engineering. Biodegradable polymers with great processing flexibility are the predominant scaffolding materials. Synthetic biodegradable polymers with well-defined structure and without immunological concerns associated with naturally derived polymers are widely used in tissue engineering. The synthetic biodegradable polymers that are widely used in tissue engineering, including polyesters, polyanhydrides, polyphosphazenes, polyurethane, and poly (glyce...

Development of Biomarkers for Assessing In Situ RDX Biodegradation Potential

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-10

the RDX degrading communities in four different soil slurries. The third task examined the microorganisms involved in RDX biodegradation from...RDX biodegradation at two Navy sites. Several key microorganisms were associated with RDX removal in these mixed communities. These phylogenetic and...manuscripts. 1 ABSTRACT Objective The objective was to identify the microorganisms and genes responsible for the biodegradation of RDX (hexahydro

Neutrino-nucleus neutral current elastic interactions measurement in MiniBooNE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perevalov, Denis [Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)

2009-12-01

The MiniBooNE experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) was designed to search for v_μ → v_e neutrino oscillations at Δm² ~ 1 eV² using an intense neutrino flux with an average energy E_v ~ 700 MeV. From 2002 to 2009 MiniBooNE has accumulated more than 1.0 x 10²¹ protons on target (POT) in both neutrino and antineutrino modes. MiniBooNE provides a perfect platform for detailed measurements of exclusive and semiinclusive neutrino cross-sections, for which MiniBooNE has the largest samples of events up to date, such as neutral current elastic (NCE), neutral current π⁰, charged current quasi-elastic (CCQE), charged current π⁺, and other channels. These measured cross-sections, in turn, allow to improve the knowledge of nucleon structure. This thesis is devoted to the study of NCE interactions. Neutrino-nucleus neutral current elastic scattering (vN → vN) accounts for about 18% of all neutrino interactions in MiniBooNE. Using a high-statistics, high purity sample of NCE interactions in MiniBooNE, the flux-averaged NCE differential cross-section has been measured and is being reported here. Further study of the NCE cross-section allowed for probing the structure of nuclei. The main interest in the NCE cross-section is that it may be sensitive to the strange quark contribution to the nucleon spin, Δs, this however requires a separation of NCE proton (vp → vp) from NCE neutron (vn → vn) events, which in general is a challenging task. MiniBooNE uses a Cherenkov detector, which imposes restrictions on the measured nucleon kinematic variables, mainly due to the impossibility to reconstruct the nucleon direction below the Cherenkov threshold. However, at kinetic energies above this threshold MiniBooNE is able to identify NCE proton events that do not experience final state interactions (FSI). These events were used for the Δs measurement. In this thesis

Review of Strategies and Technologies for Demand-Side Management on Isolated Mini-Grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harper, Meg [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2013-03-01

This review provides an overview of strategies and currently available technologies used for demandside management (DSM) on mini-grids throughout the world. For the purposes of this review, mini-grids are defined as village-scale electricity distribution systems powered by small local generation sources and not connected to a main grid.1 Mini-grids range in size from less than 1 kW to several hundred kW of installed generation capacity and may utilize different generation technologies, such as micro-hydro, biomass gasification, solar, wind, diesel generators, or a hybrid combination of any of these. This review will primarily refer to AC mini-grids, though much of the discussion could apply to DC grids as well. Many mini-grids include energy storage, though some rely solely on real-time generation.

Pengaruh Permaianan Bola Voli Mini Terhadap Peningkatan Kebugaran Jasmani Pecandu Narkoba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurnia Rismaningtyas

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This study aims to answer the following questions: 1 the influence of a volleyball mini-game model to increase physical fitness of drug addicts in prisons Women Class II A Semarang in 2015. 2 How big contribution volleyball mini model of the game due to the improvement of physical fitness of drug addicts in prisons Women Class II A Semarang in 2015. . T test results obtained tcount for data post test of 2,420 with significance 0.022 <0.05, which means that the average physical fitness between the experimental and control groups after treatment was significantly different. Judging from an average of 35.79 in the experimental group and the control group of 32.92 indicates that the level of physical fitness of women prisoners IIA class drug addict treatment Semarang made a game of volleyball mini-game is better than that do not follow the game of volleyball mini , In the experimental group increased physical fitness significantly, evident from the value t = 6.541 with a significance value of 0.000 <0.05. It was concluded that: 1 Model mini volleyball games that do can improve the physical fitness of inmates in prisons Women Class II A Semarang. 2 In the experimental group showed that the model of a volleyball mini-game has a significant influence on the improvement of physical fitness on female inmates in prison Women drug addicts Class II A Semarang.

Mini-guide til DGNB

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tine Steen

Guiden giver et kort indblik i formålet med de enkelte kriterier i en DGNB- bæredygtighedsvurdering, samt i hvordan der kan måles på kriterierne. Mini-guiden tager afsæt i systemet for certificering af Nybyggede kontor-og erhvervsbyggerier, som er det første og grundlæggende system i DGNB, som al...

Risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets: A robust-product for pediatrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El-Say Khalid M.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed at developing risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets (OD-mini-tablets as age-appropriate formulations and to assess their suitability for infants and pediatric use. An experimental Box-Behnken design was applied to assure high quality of the OD-mini-tablets and reduce product variability. The design was employed to understand the influence of the critical excipient combinations on the production of OD-mini-tablets and thus guarantee the feasibility of obtaining products with dosage form uniformity. The variables selected were mannitol percent in Avicel (X1, swelling pressure of the superdisintegrant (X2, and the surface area of Aerosil as a glidant (X3. Risperidone-excipient compatibilities were investigated using FTIR and the spectra did not display any interaction. Fifteen formulations were prepared and evaluated for preand post-compression characteristics. The prepared ODmini- tablet batches were also assessed for disintegration in simulated salivary fluid (SSF, pH 6.2 and in reconstituted skimmed milk. The optimized formula fulfilled the requirements for crushing strength of 5 kN with minimal friability, disintegration times of 8.4 and 53.7 s in SSF and skimmed milk, respectively. This study therefore proposes the risperidone OD-mini-tablet formula having robust mechanical properties, uniform and precise dosing of medication with short disintegration time suitable for pediatric use.

Biosurfactants from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BU03 enhance the solubility and biodegradation of phenanthrene.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhenyong; Wong, Jonathan W C

2009-03-01

A thermophilic bacterial strain, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BU03, with a biosurfactant-producing capability, was isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil with an improved procedure which employed the solubilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), i.e. naphthalene in agar plate, as a selection criterion. Crude biosurfactant was recovered from the culture of BU03 by extraction with n-hexane, and its properties were investigated. Biosurfactants from A. calcoaceticus BU03 constitute a thermo-stable mixture, composed of different agents with surface activities. At their critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 152.4 mg L(-1), the crude biosurfactants produced from A. calcoaceticus BU03 decreased the air-water surface tension to 38.4 mN m(-1). In thermophilic conditions, the emulsifying activity is 2.8 times that of Tween 80. The effects of the biosurfactants produced by A. calcoaceticus on the solubility and biodegradation of PAHs were investigated in batch systems. Biosurfactants produced by A. calcoaceticus BU03 at 25 times their CMC significantly increased the apparent aqueous solubility of phenanthrene (PHE), pyrene (PYR) and benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) to 54.3, 6.33 and 2.08 mg L(-1), respectively. In aqueous system, the biosurfactants at concentrations of 0.5 CMC and 1 CMC slightly enhanced the biodegradation of PHE by a consortium of PAH-degrading microrganisms. Results indicate that biosurfactants from A. calcoaceticus BU03 have potential to enhance the removal of PAHs from contaminated sites.

Enzymatic oxidative biodegradation of nanoparticles: Mechanisms, significance and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vlasova, Irina I. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Center for Free Radical and Antioxidant Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (United States); Research Institute for Physico-Chemical Medicine, Federal Medico-Biological Agency, Moscow 119453 (Russian Federation); Kapralov, Alexandr A. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Center for Free Radical and Antioxidant Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (United States); Michael, Zachary P.; Burkert, Seth C. [Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); Shurin, Michael R. [Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (United States); Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (United States); Star, Alexander [Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); Shvedova, Anna A., E-mail: ats@cdc.gov [Pathology and Physiology Research Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505 (United States); Kagan, Valerian E., E-mail: kagan@pitt.edu [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Center for Free Radical and Antioxidant Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (United States); Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States); Departments of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 (United States)

2016-05-15

Biopersistence of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide (GO) and several other types of carbonaceous nanomaterials is an essential determinant of their health effects. Successful biodegradation is one of the major factors defining the life span and biological responses to nanoparticles. Here, we review the role and contribution of different oxidative enzymes of inflammatory cells – myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, lactoperoxidase, hemoglobin, and xanthine oxidase – to the reactions of nanoparticle biodegradation. We further focus on interactions of nanomaterials with hemoproteins dependent on the specific features of their physico-chemical and structural characteristics. Mechanistically, we highlight the significance of immobilized peroxidase reactive intermediates vs diffusible small molecule oxidants (hypochlorous and hypobromous acids) for the overall oxidative biodegradation process in neutrophils and eosinophils. We also accentuate the importance of peroxynitrite-driven pathways realized in macrophages via the engagement of NADPH oxidase- and NO synthase-triggered oxidative mechanisms. We consider possible involvement of oxidative machinery of other professional phagocytes such as microglial cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, in the context of biodegradation relevant to targeted drug delivery. We evaluate the importance of genetic factors and their manipulations for the enzymatic biodegradation in vivo. Finally, we emphasize a novel type of biodegradation realized via the activation of the “dormant” peroxidase activity of hemoproteins by the nano-surface. This is exemplified by the binding of GO to cyt c causing the unfolding and ‘unmasking’ of the peroxidase activity of the latter. We conclude with the strategies leading to safe by design carbonaceous nanoparticles with optimized characteristics for mechanism-based targeted delivery and regulatable life-span of drugs in circulation. - Highlights: • Nanoparticles can be degraded by

Petroleum biodegradation and oil spill bioremediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atlas, R.M.

1995-01-01

Hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed in the marine environment following oil spills. These microorganisms naturally biodegrade numerous contaminating petroleum hydrocarbons, thereby cleansing the oceans of oil pullutants. Bioremediation, which is accomplished by adding exogenous microbial populations or stimulating indigenous ones, attempts to raise the rates of degradation found naturally to significantly higher rates. Seeding with oil degraders has not been demonstrated to be effective, but addition of nitrogenous fertilizers has been shown to increase rates of petroleum biodegradation. In the case of the Exxon Valdez spill, the largest and most thoroughly studied application of bioremediation, the application of fertilizer (slow release or oleophilic) increased rates of biodegradation 3-5 times. Because of the patchiness of oil, an internally conserved compound, hopane, was critical for demonstrating the efficacy of bioremediation. Multiple regression models showed that the effectiveness of bioremediation depended upon the amount of nitrogen delivered, the concentration of oil, and time. (author)

Biodegradability of wheat gluten based bioplastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Domenek, Sandra; Feuilloley, Pierre; Gratraud, Jean; Morel, Marie-Hélène; Guilbert, Stéphane

2004-01-01

A large variety of wheat gluten based bioplastics, which were plasticized with glycerol, were subjected to biodegradation. The materials covered the total range available for the biochemical control parameter Fi, which expresses the percentage of aggregated proteins. This quantity can be related to the density of covalent crosslinks in the wheat gluten network, which are induced by technological treatments. The biodegradability tests were performed in liquid medium (modified Sturm test) and in farmland soil. All gluten materials were fully degraded after 36 days in aerobic fermentation and within 50 days in farmland soil. No significant differences were observed between the samples. The mineralization half-life time of 3.8 days in the modified Sturm test situated gluten materials among fast degrading polymers. The tests of microbial inhibition experiments revealed no toxic effects of the modified gluten or of its metabolites. Thus, the protein bulk of wheat gluten materials is non-toxic and fully biodegradable, whatever the technological process applied.

Predicting ready biodegradability of premanufacture notice chemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Boethling, Robert S; Lynch, David G; Thom, Gary C

2003-04-01

Chemical substances other than pesticides, drugs, and food additives are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), but the United States does not require that new substances be tested automatically for such critical properties as biodegradability. The resulting lack of submitted data has fostered the development of estimation methods, and the BioWIN models for predicting biodegradability from chemical structure have played a prominent role in premanufacture notice (PMN) review. Until now, validation efforts have used only the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) test data and have not included all models. To assess BioWIN performance with PMN substances, we assembled a database of PMNs for which ready biodegradation data had been submitted over the period 1995 through 2001. The 305 PMN structures are highly varied and pose major challenges to chemical property estimation. Despite the variability of ready biodegradation tests, the use of at least six different test methods, and widely varying quality of submitted data, accuracy of four of six BioWIN models (MITI linear, MITI nonlinear, survey ultimate, survey primary) was in the 80+% range for predicting ready biodegradability. Greater accuracy (>90%) can be achieved by using model estimates only when the four models agree (true for 3/4 of the PMNs). The BioWIN linear and nonlinear probability models did not perform as well even when classification criteria were optimized. The results suggest that the MITI and survey BioWIN models are suitable for use in screening-level applications.

Biodegradable elastomers for biomedical applications and regenerative medicine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bat, Erhan; Zhang, Zheng; Feijen, Jan; Grijpma, Dirk W.; Poot, Andre A.

Synthetic biodegradable polymers are of great value for the preparation of implants that are required to reside only temporarily in the body. The use of biodegradable polymers obviates the need for a second surgery to remove the implant, which is the case when a nondegradable implant is used. After

Mini-Exame do Estado Mental: características psicométricas em idosos ambulatoriais Mini-Mental State Examination: psychometric characteristics in elderly outpatients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto A Lourenço

2006-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar as características de medida do Mini-Exame do Estado Mental em idosos atendidos em um ambulatório geral. MÉTODOS: O total de 303 indivíduos (>65 anos foi submetido à avaliação geriátrica com vários instrumentos, inclusive o Mini-Exame do Estado Mental. Foram calculadas a sensibilidade, a especificidade, os valores preditivos positivo e negativo e a curva ROC. RESULTADOS: A sensibilidade, a especificidade, os valores preditivos positivo e negativo e a área sob a curva ROC foram 80,8%, 65,3%, 44,7%, 90,7% e 0,807, respectivamente (ponto de corte 23/24. O melhor ponto de corte para indivíduos analfabetos foi 18/19 (sensibilidade =73,5%; especificidade =73,9%, e para aqueles com instrução escolar foi 24/25 (sensibilidade =75%; especificidade =69,7%. CONCLUSÕES: Para o rastreamento cognitivo de idosos atendidos em ambulatórios gerais pelo Mini-Exame do Estado Mental, a escolaridade deverá ser considerada para a adoção do ponto de corte mais adequado.OBJECTIVE: To assess the psychometric characteristics of the Mini-Mental State Examination in elderly outpatients who seek primary health care. METHODS: A total of 303 subjects (>65 years underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment with functional tools, including Mini-Mental State Examination. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and ROC curve were calculated. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and area under ROC curve were 80.8%, 65.3%, 44.7%, 90.7% and 0.807 respectively (cutoff point =23/24. The best cutoff point for illiterate was 18/19 (sensitivity =73.5%; specificity =73.9%; and for literate was 24/25 (sensitivity =75%; specificity =69.7%. CONCLUSIONS: While screening elderly outpatients for dementia, schooling must be considered in the choice of the best cutoff point in the Mini-Mental State Examination.

Entrepreneur and Establishment of a Mini Hotel in XiChang, China

OpenAIRE

Hu, Mingsong

2013-01-01

Mini Hotel, is a new hotel will be opened in China in this year. I and 4 of my friends will be the shareholders of this Mini Hotel. The hotel is planned to be operating from the autumn of 2013. Now, everything in this thesis is on process. The main objective of this thesis was to draft an effective approach to ensure this is a right plan which is worth to invest. By using benchmarking and SWOT analysis we defined the strength and weakness of this Mini Hotel business plan. This thesis will ...

Model of competitive mini-hotel project life cycle

OpenAIRE

Левыкин, Виктор Макарович; Дэвон, Валерия Викторовна

2014-01-01

Having examined the situation in the hotel market of the city of Kharkov (Ukraine), it was found that one of the major shortcomings in the activities of mini-hotels is mediocre attitude towards customers, lack of proper attention and poor services. In this regard, there is the need to create a mini-hotel, the most important mission of which would be a genuine concern for guests and their comfort, as well as providing unique services of the highest class.For the success of this mission, it is ...

Lexicography Problems and Theoretical Interpretation of Mini-Dictionaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jūratė Butkienė

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The article deals with principles of the word selection while compiling a mini-dictionary (containing a minimal number of words as well as with criteria and theoretical background thereof. The development of such principles is being analysed in Lithuania and abroad. The word selection while compiling a mini-dictionary of German language dedicated to the students of Civil engineering is being detailed. Furthermore, the article provides recommendations. The word selection has to be based on the linguistic statistics and on the thorough text analysis.

Feasibility of a multiple-choice mini mental state examination for chronically critically ill patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Miguélez, Marta; Merlani, Paolo; Gigon, Fabienne; Verdon, Mélanie; Annoni, Jean-Marie; Ricou, Bara

2014-08-01

Following treatment in an ICU, up to 70% of chronically critically ill patients present neurocognitive impairment that can have negative effects on their quality of life, daily activities, and return to work. The Mini Mental State Examination is a simple, widely used tool for neurocognitive assessment. Although of interest when evaluating ICU patients, the current version is restricted to patients who are able to speak. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a visual, multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination for ICU patients who are unable to speak. The multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination and the standard Mini Mental State Examination were compared across three different speaking populations. The interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination were tested on both intubated and tracheostomized ICU patients. Mixed 36-bed ICU and neuropsychology department in a university hospital. Twenty-six healthy volunteers, 20 neurological patients, 46 ICU patients able to speak, and 30 intubated or tracheostomized ICU patients. None. Multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination results correlated satisfactorily with standard Mini Mental State Examination results in all three speaking groups: healthy volunteers: intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.43 (95% CI, -0.18 to 0.62); neurology patients: 0.90 (95% CI, 0.82-0.95); and ICU patients able to speak: 0.86 (95% CI, 0.70-0.92). The interrater and intrarater reliabilities were good (0.95 [0.87-0.98] and 0.94 [0.31-0.99], respectively). In all populations, a Bland-Altman analysis showed systematically higher scores using the multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination. Administration of the multiple-choice Mini Mental State Examination to ICU patients was straightforward and produced exploitable results comparable to those of the standard Mini Mental State Examination. It should be of interest for the assessment and monitoring of the neurocognitive

Summer Mini Atomiade June 2016

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2016-01-01

The Mini Atomiade are coming to CERN! Members of Clubs supported by the CERN Staff Association and in conjunction with ASCERI (Association of the Sports Communities of the European Research Institutes) will be organising the summer games at the beginning of June. ASCERI aims to contribute to a united Europe through regular sports meetings, bringing together members of public Research Institutes at European level. The Association's members come from over 40 Research Institutes spanning 16 countries. Numerous sports and leisure activities are represented at regular events and each tournament is organised by a different research institute. Clubs in conjunction with the CERN Staff Association have sent teams to previous winter and summer games and now, the CERN Club’s Coordination Committee (CCC) has now taken on the challenge of organising a Mini Atomiade from Friday June 3rd to Monday June 6th 2016 in Divonne-les-Bains. The games are made up of four different tournaments/competitions: Small Fi...

Biodegradation: Updating the Concepts of Control for Microbial Cleanup in Contaminated Aquifers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meckenstock, Rainer U.; Elsner, Martin; Griebler, Christian

2015-01-01

Biodegradation is one of the most favored and sustainable means of removing organic pollutants from contaminated aquifers but the major steering factors are still surprisingly poorly understood. Growing evidence questions some of the established concepts for control of biodegradation. Here, we...... on the controls of biodegradation in contaminant plumes. These include the plume fringe concept, transport limitations, and transient conditions as currently underestimated processes affecting biodegradation....

Flexible Ureterorenoscopy versus Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for the Treatment of Renal Stones.

Science.gov (United States)

Ergin, Giray; Kirac, Mustafa; Kopru, Burak; Ebiloglu, Turgay; Biri, Hasan

2018-04-22

To compare the pain status and stone free rates of flexible ureterorenoscopy (F-URS) versus mini-percutaneousnephrolithotomy (mini-PNL) for the treatment of 1-to 2-cm renal stones. This study was retrospectively designed with match paired method. Between January 2013 and December 2016, 387 patients underwent stone surgery for renal stones, 45 patients underwent FURS and 45 patients underwent mini-PNL. 90 patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical procedures. Group 1 patients underwent F-URS, and Group 2 patients underwent mini-PNL. During the intraoperative andpostoperative periods, pain management for all patients was standardized. Pain scores were determined using a visual analogue scale (VAS) completed at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. The stone free status, hemoglobin levels, fluoroscopy time (FT), operation time (OT), hospitalization time (HT), return to work time (RWT), and complications were noted for each patient. Of all patients, the mean age was 41.1 ± 12.1 years and the mean stone size was 13.9 ± 2.9 mm. The VAS scores were significantly higher in the mini-PNL group at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours (P .05); however, the hemoglobin decreases and the fluoroscopy, operation, hospitalization and return to work times were higher in the mini-PNL group than in the F-URS group (P work duration. We think that F-URS is more comfortable and less painful than mini-PNL and achieves a similar stone free rate for the treatment of 1- to 2-cm renal stones.

Processing biodegradable waste by applying aerobic digester EWA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đokić Dragoslav

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents research results obtained in the process of processing biodegradable wastes, resulting from agricultural production as well as municipal waste. Aerobic fermenter EWA (stationed within the Institute for Forage Crops Globoder- Kruševac was using for this purpose, during the one month testing. Biodegradable material with different ratios of components was used for filling aerobic digester. EWA fermenter is certified device that is used to stabilize and hygienic disposal of biodegradable waste, including sewage sludge and animal products produced in accordance with European Union regulations. Fermenter is intended to be used for combustion in boilers for solid fuels with humidity of biomaterials below 30%.

Mini-open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangviriyapaiboon, Teera

2008-09-01

To demonstrate the surgical technique and advantages of the mini-open transforaminal approach for lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) combined with transpedicular screw fixation. Clinical and radiographic results were assessed to determine the clinical outcomes in twelve consecutive patients selected for minimally invasive access (mini-open technique) for TLIF in Prasat Neurological Institute. A retrospective analysis was performed on 12 patients (age range, 38-74 yr; mean, 54. 8 yr) who underwent mini-open transforaminal approach for lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) combined with transpedicular screw fixation between September 2006 and June 2008. The titanium pedicle screws were introduced bilaterally through the 3.5 cm length, skin incisions with Spine Classics MLD- system retractor, autologous bone graft were inserted to perform TLIF in all patients. Eight patients were augmented anterior column support with titanium interbody cage, unilateral cage insertion in four patients and the others were inserted bilaterally interbody cages. Six patients presented with low back pain and associated radiculopathy, and six presented with low back pain only. Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion was performed at L3-L4 in two patients, L4-L5 in four patients, L5-S1 in five patients, and two levels fusion in one patient. All patients were able to ambulate after spinal fusion. The patients were able to walk within 1.4 days (range 1-2 days). The hospital stay averaged 4.4 days (range 3-7 days). Periodic follow-up took place 1 to 21 months after surgery (mean, 7.4 months). The radiological fusion was archived in all nine patients who were operated on more than two months age. The other three patients who had been follow-up less than two months were probably fusion on the 1-month followed-up radiological examination. The use of mini-open technique for pedicle screw instrumentation with spinal fusion procedure provides excellent clinical results and may be an operation of choice for

Biodegradable Polymers and Stem Cells for Bioprinting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Meijuan; Wang, Xiaohong

2016-04-29

It is imperative to develop organ manufacturing technologies based on the high organ failure mortality and serious donor shortage problems. As an emerging and promising technology, bioprinting has attracted more and more attention with its super precision, easy reproduction, fast manipulation and advantages in many hot research areas, such as tissue engineering, organ manufacturing, and drug screening. Basically, bioprinting technology consists of inkjet bioprinting, laser-based bioprinting and extrusion-based bioprinting techniques. Biodegradable polymers and stem cells are common printing inks. In the printed constructs, biodegradable polymers are usually used as support scaffolds, while stem cells can be engaged to differentiate into different cell/tissue types. The integration of biodegradable polymers and stem cells with the bioprinting techniques has provided huge opportunities for modern science and technologies, including tissue repair, organ transplantation and energy metabolism.

Methodology for fabrication of hydraulics mini turbines with composite materials; Metodologia para a fabricacao de mini turbinas hidraulicas com materiais compostos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faria, M.T.C. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (DEMEC/UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Mecanica], Email: mtcdf@uol.com.br; Martinez, C.B.; Viana, E.M.F. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (EHR-UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia. Dept. de Engenharia Hidraulica e Recursos Hidricos], Emails: martinez@cce.ufmg.br, ednamariafaria@bol.com.br

2009-07-01

This paper presents the description of methodological procedure specially developed for manufacturing mini turbines. This procedure is used in the design of a Francis type mini turbine with 12.5 kW. The housing volute and the suction tube of this equipment are manufactured with using composed material based on glass fiber and its distributor system is manufactured with stainless steel and brass. At the end it is presented an estimate cost of design / manufacturing of such equipment and a comparison with other equipment in the market.

Methods for roof-top mini-arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Hazen, W. E.; Hazen, E. S.

1985-08-01

To test the idea of the Linsley effect mini array for the study of giant air showers, it is desirable to have a trigger that exploits the effect itself. In addition to the trigger, it is necessary to have a method for measuring the relative arrival times of the particle swarm selected by the trigger. Since the idea of mini arrays is likely to appeal to small research groups, it is desirable to try to design relatively simple and inexpensive methods, and methods that utilize existing detectors. Clusters of small detectors have been designed for operation in the local particle density realm where the probability of or = 2 particles per detector is small. Consequently, this method can discriminate pulses from each detector and thenceforth deal mainly with logic pulses.

Styles of coping with cancer: the Italian version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Grassi, Luigi; Buda, Patrizia; Cavana, Laura; Annunziata, Maria Antonietta; Torta, Riccardo; Varetto, Antonella

2005-02-01

Mental adjustment to cancer has been explored in a large body of the literature by using the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale. Problems in the factor structure of the scale and the need for refining the instrument have determined the development of the Mini-MAC. The aim of this study was to validate, according to a test-oriented approach, the Italian version of the Mini-MAC. Four hundred and thirty cancer patients in five centres in Northern Italy completed the Mini-MAC and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). A subgroup of 153 patients filled out the instruments again within 3 months of the first assessment. The five original subscales (Fighting Spirit, Hopeless, Fatalism, Anxious Preoccupation and Cognitive Avoidance) showed acceptable levels of reliability (Cronbach alpha coefficients ranging from 0.55 to 0.80) although alphas were lower for the scales Fighting Spirit and Fatalism. Factor analysis (Varimax rotation) identified the same five factors with minor variations from the original version. Again, alpha coefficients were less robust for the factors Fighting Sprit and Fatalism. Hopeless and Anxious Preoccupation were significantly related to all the BSI psychological stress symptoms, including the Global Stress Index (GSI). Test-retest reliability showed no differences in the sub-scales scores between assessments. Copyright (c) 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biodegradability of carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites under aerobic mixed culture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Duc C; Goodwin, David G; Frank, Benjamin P; Bouwer, Edward J; Fairbrother, D Howard

2018-10-15

The properties and commercial viability of biodegradable polymers can be significantly enhanced by the incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The environmental impact and persistence of these carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites (CNT/PNCs) after disposal will be strongly influenced by their microbial interactions, including their biodegradation rates. At the end of consumer use, CNT/PNCs will encounter diverse communities of microorganisms in landfills, surface waters, and wastewater treatment plants. To explore CNT/PNC biodegradation under realistic environmental conditions, the effect of multi-wall CNT (MWCNT) incorporation on the biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was investigated using a mixed culture of microorganisms from wastewater. Relative to unfilled PHA (0% w/w), the MWCNT loading (0.5-10% w/w) had no statistically significant effect on the rate of PHA matrix biodegradation. Independent of the MWCNT loading, the extent of CNT/PNC mass remaining closely corresponded to the initial mass of CNTs in the matrix suggesting a lack of CNT release. CNT/PNC biodegradation was complete in approximately 20 days and resulted in the formation of a compressed CNT mat that retained the shape of the initial CNT/PNC. This study suggests that although CNTs have been shown to be cytotoxic towards a range of different microorganisms, this does not necessarily impact the biodegradation of the surrounding polymer matrix in mixed culture, particularly in situations where the polymer type and/or microbial population favor rapid polymer biodegradation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protective factor screening for prevention practice: Sensitivity and specificity of the DESSA-Mini.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Valerie B; Kim, B K Elizabeth; Robitaille, Jennifer L; LeBuffe, Paul A

2017-12-01

The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment Mini (DESSA-Mini; Naglieri, LeBuffe, & Shapiro, 2011/2014) was designed to overcome practical obstacles to universal prevention screening. This article seeks to determine whether an entirely strength-based, 8-item screening instrument achieves technical accuracy in routine practice. Data come from a district-wide implementation of a new social emotional learning (SEL) initiative designed to promote students' social-emotional competence. All students, kindergarten through Grade 8, were screened using the DESSA-Mini. A random 5 students per classroom received additional assessment. Concurrent and predictive criterion studies were conducted using the full DESSA as well as administrative records of serious disciplinary infraction. The DESSA-Mini showed excellent internal reliability, exceeding .90. Negligible to small differences were found between scores on the DESSA-Mini screen and the DESSA full assessment. Classification consistency between the DESSA-Mini and the DESSA was high (87%-94%) in routine practice, with sensitivity and specificity estimates exceeding Glascoe's (2005) standards. Finally, predictive validity of the DESSA-Mini was reliable; students screened as having a Need for SEL Instruction at the beginning of the year were 4.5 times more likely to have a record of serious disciplinary infraction at the end of the school year compared with those who were not identified (p mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Mini-conference on Angular Momentum Transport in Laboratory and Nature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Hantao; Kronberg, Philipp; Prager, Stewart C.; Uzdensky, Dmitri A.

2008-01-01

This paper provides a concise summary of the current status of the research and future perspectives discussed in the Mini-Conference on Angular Momentum Transport in Laboratory and Nature. This Mini-conference, sponsored by the Topical Group on Plasma Astrophysics, was held as part of the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics 2007 Annual Meeting (November 12-16, 2007). This Mini-conference covers a wide range of phenomena happening in fluids and plasmas, either in laboratory or in nature. The purpose of this paper is not to comprehensively review these phenomena, but to provide a starting point for interested readers to refer to related research in areas other than their own

Best conditions for biodegradation of diesel oil by chemometric tools

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Ewa Kaczorek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Diesel oil biodegradation by different bacteria-yeast-rhamnolipids consortia was tested. Chromatographic analysis of post-biodegradation residue was completed with chemometric tools (ANOVA, and a novel ranking procedure based on the sum of ranking differences. These tools were used in the selection of the most effective systems. The best results of aliphatic fractions of diesel oil biodegradation were observed for a yeast consortia with Aeromonas hydrophila KR4. For these systems the positive effect of rhamnolipids on hydrocarbon biodegradation was observed. However, rhamnolipids addition did not always have a positive influence on the biodegradation process (e.g. in case of yeast consortia with Stenotrophomonas maltophila KR7. Moreover, particular differences in the degradation pattern were observed for lower and higher alkanes than in the case with C22. Normally, the best conditions for "lower" alkanes are Aeromonas hydrophila KR4 + emulsifier independently from yeasts and e.g. Pseudomonas stutzeri KR7 for C24 alkane.

Best conditions for biodegradation of diesel oil by chemometric tools

Science.gov (United States)

Kaczorek, Ewa; Bielicka-Daszkiewicz, Katarzyna; Héberger, Károly; Kemény, Sándor; Olszanowski, Andrzej; Voelkel, Adam

2014-01-01

Diesel oil biodegradation by different bacteria-yeast-rhamnolipids consortia was tested. Chromatographic analysis of post-biodegradation residue was completed with chemometric tools (ANOVA, and a novel ranking procedure based on the sum of ranking differences). These tools were used in the selection of the most effective systems. The best results of aliphatic fractions of diesel oil biodegradation were observed for a yeast consortia with Aeromonas hydrophila KR4. For these systems the positive effect of rhamnolipids on hydrocarbon biodegradation was observed. However, rhamnolipids addition did not always have a positive influence on the biodegradation process (e.g. in case of yeast consortia with Stenotrophomonas maltophila KR7). Moreover, particular differences in the degradation pattern were observed for lower and higher alkanes than in the case with C22. Normally, the best conditions for “lower” alkanes are Aeromonas hydrophila KR4 + emulsifier independently from yeasts and e.g. Pseudomonas stutzeri KR7 for C24 alkane. PMID:24948922

Enhanced dimethyl phthalate biodegradation by accelerating phthalic acid di-oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yingxia; Zhang, Yongming; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Chao; Rittmann, Bruce E

2017-12-01

The aerobic biodegradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is initiated with two hydrolysis reactions that generate an intermediate, phthalic acid (PA), that is further biodegraded through a two-step di-oxygenation reaction. DMP biodegradation is inhibited when PA accumulates, but DMP's biodegradation can be enhanced by adding an exogenous electron donor. We evaluated the effect of adding succinate, acetate, or formate as an exogenous electron donor. PA removal rates were increased by 15 and 30% for initial PA concentrations of 0.3 and 0.6 mM when 0.15 and 0.30 mM succinate, respectively, were added as exogenous electron donor. The same electron-equivalent additions of acetate and formate had the same acceleration impacts on PA removal. Consequently, the DMP-removal rate, even PA coexisting with DMP simultaneously, was accelerated by 37% by simultaneous addition of 0.3 mM succinate. Thus, lowering the accumulation of PA by addition of an electron increased the rate of DMP biodegradation.

Rational Design of Mini-Cas9 for Transcriptional Activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Dacheng; Peng, Shuguang; Huang, Weiren; Cai, Zhiming; Xie, Zhen

2018-04-20

Nuclease dead Cas9 (dCas9) has been widely used for modulating gene expression by fusing with different activation or repression domains. However, delivery of the CRISPR/Cas system fused with various effector domains in a single adeno-associated virus (AAV) remains challenging due to the payload limit. Here, we engineered a set of downsized variants of Cas9 including Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) that retained DNA binding activity by deleting conserved functional domains. We demonstrated that fusing FokI nuclease domain to the N-terminal of the minimal SaCas9 (mini-SaCas9) or to the middle of the split mini-SaCas9 can trigger efficient DNA cleavage. In addition, we constructed a set of compact transactivation domains based on the tripartite VPR activation domain and self-assembled arrays of split SpyTag:SpyCatch peptides, which are suitable for fusing to the mini-SaCas9. Lastly, we produced a single AAV containing the mini-SaCas9 fused with a downsized transactivation domain along with an optimized gRNA expression cassette, which showed efficient transactivation activity. Our results highlighted a practical approach to generate down-sized CRISPR/Cas9 and gene activation systems for in vivo applications.

Targeted CNS delivery using human MiniPromoters and demonstrated compatibility with adeno-associated viral vectors

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Charles N de Leeuw

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Critical for human gene therapy is the availability of small promoters tools to drive gene expression in a highly specific and reproducible manner. We tackled this challenge by developing human DNA MiniPromoters (MiniPs using computational biology and phylogenetic conservation. MiniPs were tested in mouse as single-copy knock-ins at the Hprt locus on the X chromosome and evaluated for lacZ reporter expression in central nervous system (CNS and non–CNS tissue. Eighteen novel MiniPs driving expression in mouse brain were identified, 2 MiniPs for driving pan-neuronal expression and 17 MiniPs for the mouse eye. Key areas of therapeutic interest were represented in this set: the cerebral cortex, embryonic hypothalamus, spinal cord, bipolar and ganglion cells of the retina, and skeletal muscle. We also demonstrated that three retinal ganglion cell MiniPs exhibit similar cell type specificity when delivered via adeno-associated virus vectors intravitreally. We conclude that our methodology and characterization has resulted in desirable expression characteristics that are intrinsic to the MiniPromoter, not dictated by copy-number effects or genomic location, and results in constructs predisposed to success in adeno-associated virus. These MiniPs are immediately applicable for preclinical studies toward gene therapy in humans and are publicly available to facilitate basic and clinical research, and human gene therapy.

Synthesis, characterization and antioxidant activity of a novel electroactive and biodegradable polyurethane for cardiac tissue engineering application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baheiraei, Nafiseh; Yeganeh, Hamid; Ai, Jafar; Gharibi, Reza; Azami, Mahmoud; Faghihi, Faezeh

2014-01-01

There has been a growing trend towards applying conducting polymers for electrically excitable cells to increase electrical signal propagation within the cell-loaded substrates. A novel biodegradable electroactive polyurethane containing aniline pentamer (AP-PU) was synthesized and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. To tune the physico-chemical properties and biocompatibility, the AP-PU was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL). The presence of electroactive moieties and the electroactivity behavior of the prepared films were confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. A conventional four probe analysis demonstrated the electrical conductivity of the films in the semiconductor range (∼ 10 −5 S/cm). MTT assays using L929 mouse fibroblast and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) showed that the prepared blend (PB) displayed more cytocompatibility compared with AP-PU due to the introduction of a biocompatible PCL moiety. The in vitro cell culture also confirmed that PB was as supportive as tissue culture plate. The antioxidant activity of the AP-PU was proved using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay by employing UV–vis spectroscopy. In vitro degradation tests conducted in phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4 and pH 5.5, proved that the films were also biodegradable. The results of this study have highlighted the potential application of this bioelectroactive polyurethane as a platform substrate to study the effect of electrical signals on cell activities and to direct desirable cell function for tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Straight forward methodology for synthesis of electroactive polyurethane • Biodegradability and non-toxicity through proper selection of starting materials • Supporting cell proliferation and attachment combined with antioxidant property

Synthesis, characterization and antioxidant activity of a novel electroactive and biodegradable polyurethane for cardiac tissue engineering application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baheiraei, Nafiseh [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 1417755469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yeganeh, Hamid, E-mail: h.yeganeh@ippi.ac.ir [Department of Polyurethane, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ai, Jafar [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 1417755469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Gharibi, Reza [Department of Polyurethane, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Azami, Mahmoud; Faghihi, Faezeh [Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 1417755469 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-11-01

There has been a growing trend towards applying conducting polymers for electrically excitable cells to increase electrical signal propagation within the cell-loaded substrates. A novel biodegradable electroactive polyurethane containing aniline pentamer (AP-PU) was synthesized and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. To tune the physico-chemical properties and biocompatibility, the AP-PU was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL). The presence of electroactive moieties and the electroactivity behavior of the prepared films were confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. A conventional four probe analysis demonstrated the electrical conductivity of the films in the semiconductor range (∼ 10{sup −5} S/cm). MTT assays using L929 mouse fibroblast and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) showed that the prepared blend (PB) displayed more cytocompatibility compared with AP-PU due to the introduction of a biocompatible PCL moiety. The in vitro cell culture also confirmed that PB was as supportive as tissue culture plate. The antioxidant activity of the AP-PU was proved using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay by employing UV–vis spectroscopy. In vitro degradation tests conducted in phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4 and pH 5.5, proved that the films were also biodegradable. The results of this study have highlighted the potential application of this bioelectroactive polyurethane as a platform substrate to study the effect of electrical signals on cell activities and to direct desirable cell function for tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Straight forward methodology for synthesis of electroactive polyurethane • Biodegradability and non-toxicity through proper selection of starting materials • Supporting cell proliferation and attachment combined with antioxidant property.

Phyllosphere yeasts rapidly break down biodegradable plastics

OpenAIRE

Kitamoto, Hiroko K; Shinozaki, Yukiko; Cao, Xiao-hong; Morita, Tomotake; Konishi, Masaaki; Tago, Kanako; Kajiwara, Hideyuki; Koitabashi, Motoo; Yoshida, Shigenobu; Watanabe, Takashi; Sameshima-Yamashita, Yuka; Nakajima-Kambe, Toshiaki; Tsushima, Seiya

2011-01-01

The use of biodegradable plastics can reduce the accumulation of environmentally persistent plastic wastes. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics depends on environmental conditions and is highly variable. Techniques for achieving more consistent degradation are needed. However, only a few microorganisms involved in the degradation process have been isolated so far from the environment. Here, we show that Pseudozyma spp. yeasts, which are common in the phyllosphere and are easily ...

Biodegradation of imidazolium ionic liquids by activated sludge microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Liwarska-Bizukojc, Ewa; Maton, Cedric; Stevens, Christian V

2015-11-01

Biological properties of ionic liquids (ILs) have been usually tested with the help of standard biodegradation or ecotoxicity tests. So far, several articles on the identification of intermediate metabolites of microbiological decay of ILs have been published. Simultaneously, the number of novel ILs with unrecognized characteristics regarding biodegradability and effect on organisms and environment is still increasing. In this work, seven imidazolium ionic liquids of different chemical structure were studied. Three of them are 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromides, while the other four are tetra- or completely substituted imidazolium iodides. This study focused on the identification of intermediate metabolites of the aforementioned ionic liquids subjected to biodegradation in a laboratory activated sludge system. Both fully substituted ionic liquids and 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide were barely biodegradable. In the case of two of them, no biotransformation products were detected. The elongation of the alkyl side chain made the IL more susceptible for microbiological decomposition. 1-Decyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide was biotransformed most easily. Its primary biodegradation up to 100 % could be achieved. Nevertheless, the cleavage of the imidazolium ring has not been observed.

Management of pediatric mandibular fractures using bioresorbable plating system – Efficacy, stability, and clinical outcomes: Our experiences and literature review

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mahinder; Singh, R.K.; Passi, Deepak; Aggarwal, Mohit; Kaur, Guneet

2015-01-01

Aims The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and stability of the biodegradable fixation system for treatment of mandible fractures in pediatric patients by measuring the bite force. Methods Sixty pediatric patients with mandibular fractures (36 males, 24 females) were included in this study. The 2.5-mm resorbable plates were adapted along Champy's line of ideal osteosynthesis and secured with four 2.5 mm diameter monocortical resorbable screws, 8 mm in length. All patients were followed for 10 months. Clinical parameters, such as soft tissue infection, nonunion, malunion, implant exposure, malocclusion, nerve injury, and bite force for stability, were prospectively assessed. Results Adequate fixation and primary bone healing was achieved in 100% of the cases. Six minor complications (10%) were observed: 2 soft tissue infections (3%), 1 plate dehiscence (2%), 1 malocclusion (2%), and 2 paresthesia (3%). Conclusion 2.5-mm resorbable plating system along Champy's line of ideal osteosynthesis is a good treatment modality for mandible fractures in pediatric patients. PMID:27195206

Validation and Diagnostic Efficiency of the Mini-SPIN in Spanish-Speaking Adolescents.

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LuisJoaquín Garcia-Lopez

Full Text Available Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence. Many validated psychometric tools are available to diagnose individuals with SAD efficaciously. However, there is a demand for shortened self-report instruments that identify adolescents at risk of developing SAD. We validate the Mini-SPIN and its diagnostic efficiency in overcoming this problem in Spanish-speaking adolescents in Spain.The psychometric properties of the 3-item Mini-SPIN scale for adolescents were assessed in a community (study 1 and clinical sample (study 2.Study 1 consisted of 573 adolescents, and found the Mini-SPIN to have appropriate internal consistency and high construct validity. Study 2 consisted of 354 adolescents (147 participants diagnosed with SAD and 207 healthy controls. Data revealed that the Mini-SPIN has good internal consistency, high construct validity and adequate diagnostic efficiency.Our findings suggest that the Mini-SPIN has good psychometric properties on clinical and healthy control adolescents and general population, which indicates that it can be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents. Cut-off scores are provided.

Validation and Diagnostic Efficiency of the Mini-SPIN in Spanish-Speaking Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Lopez, LuisJoaquín; Moore, Harry T A

2015-01-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence. Many validated psychometric tools are available to diagnose individuals with SAD efficaciously. However, there is a demand for shortened self-report instruments that identify adolescents at risk of developing SAD. We validate the Mini-SPIN and its diagnostic efficiency in overcoming this problem in Spanish-speaking adolescents in Spain. The psychometric properties of the 3-item Mini-SPIN scale for adolescents were assessed in a community (study 1) and clinical sample (study 2). Study 1 consisted of 573 adolescents, and found the Mini-SPIN to have appropriate internal consistency and high construct validity. Study 2 consisted of 354 adolescents (147 participants diagnosed with SAD and 207 healthy controls). Data revealed that the Mini-SPIN has good internal consistency, high construct validity and adequate diagnostic efficiency. Our findings suggest that the Mini-SPIN has good psychometric properties on clinical and healthy control adolescents and general population, which indicates that it can be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents. Cut-off scores are provided.

The effect of mechanical loads on the degradation of aliphatic biodegradable polyesters.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Chu, Zhaowei; Li, Xiaoming; Ding, Xili; Guo, Meng; Zhao, Haoran; Yao, Jie; Wang, Lizhen; Cai, Qiang; Fan, Yubo

2017-06-01

Aliphatic biodegradable polyesters have been the most widely used synthetic polymers for developing biodegradable devices as alternatives for the currently used permanent medical devices. The performances during biodegradation process play crucial roles for final realization of their functions. Because physiological and biochemical environment in vivo significantly affects biodegradation process, large numbers of studies on effects of mechanical loads on the degradation of aliphatic biodegradable polyesters have been launched during last decades. In this review article, we discussed the mechanism of biodegradation and several different mechanical loads that have been reported to affect the biodegradation process. Other physiological and biochemical factors related to mechanical loads were also discussed. The mechanical load could change the conformational strain energy and morphology to weaken the stability of the polymer. Besides, the load and pattern could accelerate the loss of intrinsic mechanical properties of polymers. This indicated that investigations into effects of mechanical loads on the degradation should be indispensable. More combination condition of mechanical loads and multiple factors should be considered in order to keep the degradation rate controllable and evaluate the degradation process in vivo accurately. Only then can the degradable devise achieve the desired effects and further expand the special applications of aliphatic biodegradable polyesters.

Arc-to-arc mini-sling 1999: a critical analysis of concept and technology

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Paulo Palma

2011-04-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to critically review the Arc-to-Arc mini-sling (Palma's technique a less invasive mid-urethral sling using bovine pericardium as the sling material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Arc-to-Arc mini-sling, using bovine pericardium, was the first published report of a mini-sling, in 1999. The technique was identical to the "tension-free tape" operation, midline incision and dissection of the urethra. The ATFP (white line was identified by blunt dissection, and the mini-sling was sutured to the tendinous arc on both sides with 2 polypropylene 00 sutures. RESULTS: The initial results were encouraging, with 9/10 patients cured at the 6 weeks post-operative visit. However, infection and extrusion of the mini-sling resulted in sling extrusion and removal, with 5 patients remaining cured at 12 months. CONCLUSION: The Arc-to-Arc mini-sling was a good concept, but failed because of the poor technology available at that time. Further research using new materials and better technology has led to new and safer alternatives for the management of stress urinary incontinence.

Performance and internal flow condition of mini centrifugal pump with splitter blades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shigemitsu, T; Fukutomi, J; Kaji, K; Wada, T

2012-01-01

Mini centrifugal pumps having a diameter smaller than 100mm are employed in many fields. But the design method for the mini centrifugal pump is not established because the internal flow condition for these small-sized fluid machines is not clarified and conventional theory is not suitable for small-sized pumps. Therefore, mini centrifugal pumps with simple structure were investigated by this research. Splitter blades were adopted in this research to improve the performance and the internal flow condition of mini centrifugal pump which had large blade outlet angle. The original impeller without the splitter blades and the impeller with the splitter blades were prepared for an experiment. The performance tests are conducted with these rotors in order to investigate the effect of the splitter blades on performance and internal flow condition of mini centrifugal pump. On the other hand, a three dimensional steady numerical flow analysis is conducted with the commercial code (ANSYS-CFX) to investigate the internal flow condition in detail. It is clarified from the experimental results that the performance of the mini centrifugal pump is improved by the effect of the splitter blades. The blade-to-blade low velocity regions are suppressed in the case with the splitter blades and the total pressure loss regions are decreased. The effects of the splitter blades on the performance and the internal flow condition are discussed in this paper.

Effect of recycling protocol on mechanical strength of used mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Estelita, Sérgio; Janson, Guilherme; Chiqueto, Kelly; Ferreira, Eduardo Silveira

2014-01-01

Purpose. This study evaluated the influence of recycling process on the torsional strength of mini-implants. Materials and Methods. Two hundred mini-implants were divided into 4 groups with 50 screws equally distributed in five diameters (1.3 to 1.7 mm): control group (CG): unused mini-implants, G1: mini-implants inserted in pig iliac bone and removed, G2: same protocol of group 1 followed by sonication for cleaning and autoclave sterilization, and G3: same insertion protocol of group 1 followed by sonication for cleaning before and after sandblasting (Al2O3-90 µ) and autoclave sterilization. G2 and G3 mini-implants were weighed after recycling process to evaluate weight loss (W). All the screws were broken to determine the fracture torque (FT). The influence of recycling process on FT and W was evaluated by ANOVA, Mann-Whitney, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results. FT was not influenced by recycling protocols even when sandblasting was added. Sandblasting caused weight loss due to abrasive mechanical stripping of screw surface. Screw diameter was the only variable that affected FT. Conclusions. Torsional strengths of screws that underwent the recycling protocols were not changed. Thus, screw diameter choice can be a more critical step to avoid screw fracture than recycling decision.

Improving the biodegradative capacity of subsurface bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romine, M.F.; Brockman, F.J.

1993-04-01

The continual release of large volumes of synthetic materials into the environment by agricultural and industrial sources over the last few decades has resulted in pollution of the subsurface environment. Cleanup has been difficult because of the relative inaccessibility of the contaminants caused by their wide dispersal in the deep subsurface, often at low concentrations and in large volumes. As a possible solution for these problems, interest in the introduction of biodegradative bacteria for in situ remediation of these sites has increased greatly in recent years (Timmis et al. 1988). Selection of biodegradative microbes to apply in such cleanup is limited to those strains that can survive among the native bacterial and predator community members at the particular pH, temperature, and moisture status of the site (Alexander, 1984). The use of microorganisms isolated from subsurface environments would be advantageous because the organisms are already adapted to the subsurface conditions. The options are further narrowed to strains that are able to degrade the contaminant rapidly, even in the presence of highly recalcitrant anthropogenic waste mixtures, and in conditions that do not require addition of further toxic compounds for the expression of the biodegradative capacity (Sayler et al. 1990). These obstacles can be overcome by placing the genes of well-characterized biodegradative enzymes under the control of promoters that can be regulated by inexpensive and nontoxic external factors and then moving the new genetic constructs into diverse groups of subsurface microbes. ne objective of this research is to test this hypothesis by comparing expression of two different toluene biodegradative enzymatic pathways from two different regulatable promoters in a variety of subsurface isolates

Methods for Evaluating the Biodegradability of Environmentally Degradable Polymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zee, van der M.

2014-01-01

This chapter presents an overview of the current knowledge on experimental methods for monitoring the biodegradability of polymeric materials. The focus is, in particular, on the biodegradation of materials under environmental conditions. Examples of in vivo degradation of polymers used in

Biodegradable microfabricated plug-filters for glaucoma drainage devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Maleki, Teimour; Chitnis, Girish; Park, Jun Hyeong; Cantor, Louis B; Ziaie, Babak

2012-06-01

We report on the development of a batch fabricated biodegradable truncated-cone-shaped plug filter to overcome the postoperative hypotony in nonvalved glaucoma drainage devices. Plug filters are composed of biodegradable polymers that disappear once wound healing and bleb formation has progressed past the stage where hypotony from overfiltration may cause complications in the human eye. The biodegradable nature of device eliminates the risks associated with permanent valves that may become blocked or influence the aqueous fluid flow rate in the long term. The plug-filter geometry simplifies its integration with commercial shunts. Aqueous humor outflow regulation is achieved by controlling the diameter of a laser-drilled through-hole. The batch compatible fabrication involves a modified SU-8 molding to achieve truncated-cone-shaped pillars, polydimethylsiloxane micromolding, and hot embossing of biodegradable polymers. The developed plug filter is 500 μm long with base and apex plane diameters of 500 and 300 μm, respectively, and incorporates a laser-drilled through-hole with 44-μm effective diameter in the center.

Biodegradable Polymers and Stem Cells for Bioprinting

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Meijuan Lei

2016-04-01

Full Text Available It is imperative to develop organ manufacturing technologies based on the high organ failure mortality and serious donor shortage problems. As an emerging and promising technology, bioprinting has attracted more and more attention with its super precision, easy reproduction, fast manipulation and advantages in many hot research areas, such as tissue engineering, organ manufacturing, and drug screening. Basically, bioprinting technology consists of inkjet bioprinting, laser-based bioprinting and extrusion-based bioprinting techniques. Biodegradable polymers and stem cells are common printing inks. In the printed constructs, biodegradable polymers are usually used as support scaffolds, while stem cells can be engaged to differentiate into different cell/tissue types. The integration of biodegradable polymers and stem cells with the bioprinting techniques has provided huge opportunities for modern science and technologies, including tissue repair, organ transplantation and energy metabolism.

Magnet-Sleeve-Sealed Mini Trochoidal-Gear Pump Prototype with Polymer Composite Gear

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Pedro Javier Gamez-Montero

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The trochoidal-gear technology has been growing in groundbreaking fields. Forthcoming applications are demanding to this technology a step forward in the conceiving stage of positive displacement machines. The compendium of the qualities and the inherent characteristics of trochoidal-gear technology, especially towards the gerotor pump, together with scale/size factor and magnetic-driven transmission has led to the idea of a magnet-sleeve-sealed variable flow mini trochoidal-gear pump. From its original concept, to the last phase of the design development, the proof of concept, this new product will intend to overcome problems such as noise, vibration, maintenance, materials, and dimensions. The paper aims to show the technological path followed from the concept, design, and model, to the manufacture of the first prototype, where the theoretical and numerical approaches are not always directly reflected in the prototype performance results. Early in the design process, from a standard-commercial sintered metal mini trochoidal-gear unit, fundamental characteristics and dimensional limitations have been evaluated becoming the strategic parameters that led to its configuration. The main technical challenge to confront is being sealed with non-exterior driveshaft, ensuring that the whole interior is filled and wetted with working fluid and helping the hydrodynamic film formation, the pumping effect, and the heat dissipation. Subsequently, the mini pump architecture, embodiment, methodology, materials, and manufacture are presented. The trend of applications of polymer composite materials and their benefits wanted to be examined with this new mini pump prototype, and a pure polyoxymethylene mini trochoidal-gear set has been designed and manufactured. Finally, both the sintered and the polymer trochoidal-gear units have been experimentally tested in an in-house full-instrumented mini test bench. Although the main goal of the presented work is the

Biodegradable Polydepsipeptides

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Jintang Guo

2009-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the synthesis, characterization, biodegradation and usage of bioresorbable polymers based on polydepsipeptides. The ring-opening polymerization of morpholine-2,5-dione derivatives using organic Sn and enzyme lipase is discussed. The dependence of the macroscopic properties of the block copolymers on their structure is also presented. Bioresorbable polymers based on polydepsipeptides could be used as biomaterials in drug controlled release, tissue engineering scaffolding and shape-memory materials.

Biodegradation of free cyanide and subsequent utilisation of biodegradation by-products by Bacillus consortia: optimisation using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mekuto, Lukhanyo; Ntwampe, Seteno Karabo Obed; Jackson, Vanessa Angela

2015-07-01

A mesophilic alkali-tolerant bacterial consortium belonging to the Bacillus genus was evaluated for its ability to biodegrade high free cyanide (CN(-)) concentration (up to 500 mg CN(-)/L), subsequent to the oxidation of the formed ammonium and nitrates in a continuous bioreactor system solely supplemented with whey waste. Furthermore, an optimisation study for successful cyanide biodegradation by this consortium was evaluated in batch bioreactors (BBs) using response surface methodology (RSM). The input variables, that is, pH, temperature and whey-waste concentration, were optimised using a numerical optimisation technique where the optimum conditions were found to be as follows: pH 9.88, temperature 33.60 °C and whey-waste concentration of 14.27 g/L, under which 206.53 mg CN(-)/L in 96 h can be biodegraded by the microbial species from an initial cyanide concentration of 500 mg CN(-)/L. Furthermore, using the optimised data, cyanide biodegradation in a continuous mode was evaluated in a dual-stage packed-bed bioreactor (PBB) connected in series to a pneumatic bioreactor system (PBS) used for simultaneous nitrification, including aerobic denitrification. The whey-supported Bacillus sp. culture was not inhibited by the free cyanide concentration of up to 500 mg CN(-)/L, with an overall degradation efficiency of ≥ 99 % with subsequent nitrification and aerobic denitrification of the formed ammonium and nitrates over a period of 80 days. This is the first study to report free cyanide biodegradation at concentrations of up to 500 mg CN(-)/L in a continuous system using whey waste as a microbial feedstock. The results showed that the process has the potential for the bioremediation of cyanide-containing wastewaters.

Surgical management of fractured orthodontic mini- implant- a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Manthan; Jain, Anoop; Sumra, Nida

2015-01-01

The idea of absolute anchorage has always been an elusive goal for clinicians. Orthodontic mini-implants or temporary anchorage devices allow tooth movements previously thought to be impossible or difficult. Although extensive literature exists on use of temporary anchorage devices, their failures have been hardly focused upon, especially implant fracture. The following case report describes successful management of fractured orthodontic mini-implant.

Validation of an electronic version of the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Olajos-Clow, J; Minard, J; Szpiro, K; Juniper, E F; Turcotte, S; Jiang, X; Jenkins, B; Lougheed, M D

2010-05-01

The Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ) is a validated disease-specific quality of life (QOL) paper (p) questionnaire. Electronic (e) versions enable inclusion of asthma QOL in electronic medical records and research databases. To validate an e-version of the MiniAQLQ, compare time required for completion of e- and p-versions, and determine which version participants prefer. Adults with stable asthma were randomized to complete either the e- or p-MiniAQLQ, followed by a 2-h rest period before completing the other version. Agreement between versions was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Two participants with incomplete p-MiniAQLQ responses were excluded. Forty participants (85% female; age 47.7 +/- 14.9 years; asthma duration 22.6 +/- 16.1 years; FEV(1) 87.1 +/- 21.6% predicted) with both AQLQ scores limitation, emotional function and environmental stimuli domains were 0.94, 0.89, 0.90, and 0.91 respectively. A small but significant bias (Delta=0.3; P=0.004) was noted in the activity limitation domain. Completion time was significantly longer for the e-version (3.8 +/- 1.9min versus 2.7 +/- 1.1min; Ppreferred the e-MiniAQLQ; 35% had no preference. This e-version of the MiniAQLQ is valid and was preferred by most participants despite taking slightly longer to complete. Generalizabilty may be limited in younger (12-17) and older (>65) adults.

"Mini", "Midi" and the Student.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Perry; Broadwell, Bruce

Mini- and midi-computers have been introduced into the computer science program at Sierra College to afford students more direct contact with computers. The college's administration combined with the Science and Business departments to share the expense and utilization of the program. The National Cash Register Century 100 and the Data General…

Development of a biodegradable bone cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yusof Abdullah; Nurhaslinda Ee Abdullah; Wee Pee Chai; Norita Mohd Zain

2002-01-01

Biodegradable bone cement is a newly developed bone repair material, which is able to give immediate support to the implant area, and does not obstruct the bone repairing and regeneration process through appropriate biodegradation rate, which is synchronized with the mechanical load it should bear. The purpose of this study is to locally produce biodegradable bone cement using HA as absorbable filler. The cement is composed of an absorbable filler and unsaturated polyester for 100% degradation. Cross-linking effect is achieved through the action of poly (vinyl pyrrol lidone) (PVP) and an initiator. On the other hand, PPF was synthesized using direct esterification method. Characteristics of the bone cement were studied; these included the curing time, cross-linking effect and curing temperature. The products were characterized using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) to perform phase analysis and Scanning Electrons Microscopes to determine the morphology. The physical and mechanical properties of the bone cement were also investigated. The biocompatibility of the bone cement was tested using simulated body physiological solution. (Author)

Cold plate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marroquin, Christopher M.; O' Connell, Kevin M.; Schultz, Mark D.; Tian, Shurong

2018-02-13

A cold plate, an electronic assembly including a cold plate, and a method for forming a cold plate are provided. The cold plate includes an interface plate and an opposing plate that form a plenum. The cold plate includes a plurality of active areas arranged for alignment over respective heat generating portions of an electronic assembly, and non-active areas between the active areas. A cooling fluid flows through the plenum. The plenum, at the non-active areas, has a reduced width and/or reduced height relative to the plenum at the active areas. The reduced width and/or height of the plenum, and exterior dimensions of cold plate, at the non-active areas allow the non-active areas to flex to accommodate surface variations of the electronics assembly. The reduced width and/or height non-active areas can be specifically shaped to fit between physical features of the electronics assembly.

Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): validação de entrevista breve para diagnóstico de transtornos mentais

OpenAIRE

Amorim, Patrícia

2000-01-01

Objetivos: O MINI é uma entrevista diagnóstica padronizada breve (15-30 minutos), compatível com os critérios do DSM-III-R/IV e da CID-10, que é destinada à utilização na prática clínica e na pesquisa em atenção primária e em psiquiatria, e pode ser utilizada por clínicos após um treinamento rápido (de 1 a 3 horas). A versão Plus do MINI, mais detalhada, gera diagnósticos positivos dos principais transtornos psicóticos e do humor do DSM-IV. Este artigo apresenta os resultados de quatro estudo...

Mandibular Overdentures Retained by Two Mini-Implants: A Seven-Year Retention and Satisfaction Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Catalán, Alfonso; Martínez, Alejandra; Marchesani, Francisco; González, Urcesino

2016-07-01

Patients with atrophic edentulous ridges generally have problems with retention, therapeutic satisfaction, and comfort with their complete dentures. An alternative treatment to assist in improving retention and stability involves the use of mini-implants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the retention of mandibular overdentures connected to two mini-implants and overall patient satisfaction with them. Seven patients with atrophic mandibular ridges (Type 4D Misch classification), aged 62 to 74 years old were rehabilitated with complete dentures. In each patient, two mini-implants measuring 15 or 13 mm in length and 1.8 mm in diameter were placed. After 15 days, overdentures were connected to the mini-implants with O-ring attachments. In each patient, retention of the overdentures was measured, and a survey of therapeutic satisfaction before and after connection to the mini-implants was administered. Prosthesis retention was measured with a digital dynamometer at 1 month, 6 months, and 2, 3, 5, and 7 years after mini-implant placement. Patient satisfaction was assessed with a survey. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test (satisfaction survey) and the Friedman test (retention measurements and satisfaction survey). The initial retention values (0.34 to 0.63 N without mini-implants) varied significantly (p ≤ 0.050). These values were less than the subsequent measurements of 3.92 to 9.64 N, taken after placement of the mini-implants and connecting them to the dentures. Satisfaction was good to very good over the 7-year observation period. Mucosa and peri-implant bone showed no pathological changes. In this limited sample size clinical study the results indicated that after connecting mandibular overdentures to two mini-implants, patient satisfaction significantly increased and retention significantly improved during the 7-year observation period. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Anoxic denitrification of BTEX: Biodegradation kinetics and pollutant interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvajal, Andrea; Akmirza, Ilker; Navia, Daniel; Pérez, Rebeca; Muñoz, Raúl; Lebrero, Raquel

2018-05-15

Anoxic mineralization of BTEX represents a promising alternative for their abatement from O 2 -deprived emissions. However, the kinetics of anoxic BTEX biodegradation and the interactions underlying the treatment of BTEX mixtures are still unknown. An activated sludge inoculum was used for the anoxic abatement of single, dual and quaternary BTEX mixtures, being acclimated prior performing the biodegradation kinetic tests. The Monod model and a Modified Gompertz model were then used for the estimation of the biodegradation kinetic parameters. Results showed that both toluene and ethylbenzene are readily biodegradable under anoxic conditions, whereas the accumulation of toxic metabolites resulted in partial xylene and benzene degradation when present both as single components or in mixtures. Moreover, the supplementation of an additional pollutant always resulted in an inhibitory competition, with xylene inducing the highest degree of inhibition. The Modified Gompertz model provided an accurate fitting for the experimental data for single and dual substrate experiments, satisfactorily representing the antagonistic pollutant interactions. Finally, microbial analysis suggested that the degradation of the most biodegradable compounds required a lower microbial specialization and diversity, while the presence of the recalcitrant compounds resulted in the selection of a specific group of microorganisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microneedles array with biodegradable tips for transdermal drug delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Iliescu, Ciprian; Chen, Bangtao; Wei, Jiashen; Tay, Francis E. H.

2008-12-01

The paper presented an enhancement solution for transdermal drug delivery using microneedles array with biodegradable tips. The microneedles array was fabricated by using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and the biodegradable tips were made to be porous by electrochemical etching process. The porous silicon microneedle tips can greatly enhance the transdermal drug delivery in a minimum invasion, painless, and convenient manner, at the same time; they are breakable and biodegradable. Basically, the main problem of the silicon microneedles consists of broken microneedles tips during the insertion. The solution proposed is to fabricate the microneedle tip from a biodegradable material - porous silicon. The silicon microneedles are fabricated using DRIE notching effect of reflected charges on mask. The process overcomes the difficulty in the undercut control of the tips during the classical isotropic silicon etching process. When the silicon tips were formed, the porous tips were then generated using a classical electrochemical anodization process in MeCN/HF/H2O solution. The paper presents the experimental results of in vitro release of calcein and BSA with animal skins using a microneedle array with biodegradable tips. Compared to the transdermal drug delivery without any enhancer, the microneedle array had presented significant enhancement of drug release.

Mini transverse versus longitudinal incision in carpal tunnel syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korkmaz, M.; Cepoglu, M.C.

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of mini-transverse compared with mini-longitudinal incision for carpal tunnel release (CTR) with reference to postoperative functional capacity, symptom severity and complication rate. Study Design: Analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Cumhuriyet University Medical Faculty, Department of Orthopaedics, Tokat State Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Medical Park Tokat Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, from January 2007 to January 2009. Methodology: This study included 93 hands of 79 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which were operated between 2007 and 2009. Patients were divided according to incision types into Group-1 (undergoing mini-longitudinal incision) and Group-2 (undergoing mini-transverse incision). Patients were evaluated initially and at 3 weeks after treatment according to symptom severity and functional status of Boston Questionnaire (BQ). Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and compared statistically between two groups. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in BQ symptom and functional scores between the pre- and postoperative period (p < 0.0001). BQ symptom and functional scores at postoperative period were better in Group-1 than Group-2 (p = 0.044 and p = 0.023 respectively). The scar hypersensitivity (p = 0.258) and tenderness (p = 1.00) associated with the incision sites were not statistically different. Conclusion: Longitudinal incision is more effective on symptom and functional conditions than transverse incision. However, there was less scar formation with transverse incision. (author)

Eficacia del proceso de esterilización de los Mini-Endo-bloc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maritza Eraso Rodríguez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available El Mini-Endo-Bloc® es un elemento usado para mediar las limas durante la endodoncia, presenta muchas concavidades y orificios que dificultan el proceso de esterilización y pueden promover la infección cruzada o comprometer el pronóstico del tratamiento endodóntico. Objetivo: Observar la eficacia de la esterilización de los Mini-Endo-Bloc® utilizados en la clínica de la Federación Odontológica Colombiana (FOC. Métodos: Se recolectaron 60 Mini-Endo-Bloc® utilizados en pacientes que presentaban diagnósticos de necrosis pulpar y periodontitis apical, lo cuales se dividieron en dos grupos: Grupo control: 12 Mini-Endo-Bloc® desinfectados y no esterilizados. Grupo experimental: 48 Mini-Endo-Bloc® desinfectados y esterilizados, se realizó, según lo recomendado por la Farmacopea USPXXXV, prueba de esterilidad en Caldo Thioglycollate a 37°C, medio de caldo Casoy a 37°C y medio de caldo Casoy a 25°C para determinar presencia de bacterias, levaduras y hongos. Resultados: Al someter los Mini-Endo-Bloc® al protocolo de esterilización establecido por la FOC y teniendo en cuenta los parámetros de las pruebas de esterilidad, en el grupo experimental el 50% (n=24, fueron reprobadas (crecimiento microorganismos y 50% (n = 24 fueron aprobadas (no crecimiento de microorganismos. Discusión: la mitad de las muestras fueron reprobadas, estos resultados pueden ser por fallas en el proceso de desinfección mecánica manual directa, el cual se dificulta en los Mini-Endo-Bloc®, debido a su estructura y diseño, permitiendo que residuos biológicos permanezcan en la superficie del instrumento, evitando que el vapor saturado entre en contacto con el material o los microorganismos durante la esterilización.

How does feedback in mini-CEX affect students' learning response?

Science.gov (United States)

Sudarso, Sulistiawati; Rahayu, Gandes Retno; Suhoyo, Yoyo

2016-12-19

This study was aimed to explore students' learning response toward feedback during mini-CEX encounter. This study used a phenomenological approach to identify the students' experiences toward feedback during mini-CEX encounter. Data was collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for all students who were in their final week of clerkship in the internal medicine rotation. There were 4 FGD groups (6 students for each group). All FGD were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The FGD transcripts were analyzed thematically and managed using Atlas-ti (version 7.0). Feedback content and the way of providing feedback on mini-CEX stimulated students' internal process, including self-reflection, emotional response, and motivation. These internal processes encouraged the students to take action or do a follow-up on the feedback to improve their learning process. In addition, there was also an external factor, namely consequences, which also influenced the students' reaction to the follow-up on feedback. In the end, this action caused several learning effects that resulted in the students' increased self-efficacy, attitude, knowledge and clinical skill. Feedback content and the way of providing feedback on mini-CEX stimulates the students' internal processes to do a follow-up on feedback. However, another external factor also affects the students' decision on the follow-up actions. The follow-ups result in various learning effects on the students. Feedback given along with summative assessment enhances learning effects on students, as well. It is suggested that supervisors of clinical education are prepared to comprehend every factor influencing feedback on mini CEX to improve the students' learning response.

Biodegrader metabolic expansion during polyaromatic hydrocarbons rhizoremediation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rugh, C.L.; Susilawati, E.; Kravchenko, A.N. [Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Thomas, J.C. [Dept. of Natural Sciences, Univ. of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI (United States)

2005-04-01

Root-microbe interactions are considered to be the primary process of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) phytoremediation, since bacterial degradation has been shown to be the dominant pathway for environmental PAH dissipation. However, the precise mechanisms driving PAH rhizostimulation symbiosis remain largely unresolved. In this study, we assessed PAH degrading bacterial abundance in contaminated soils planted with 18 different native Michigan plant species. Phenanthrene metabolism assays suggested that each plant species differentially influenced the relative abundance of PAH biodegraders, though they generally were observed to increase heterotrophic and biodegradative cell numbers relative to unplanted soils. Further study of > 1800 phenanthrene degrading isolates indicated that most of the tested plant species stimulated biodegradation of a broader range of PAH compounds relative to the unplanted soil bacterial consortia. These observations suggest that a principal contribution of planted systems for PAH bioremediation may be via expanded metabolic range of the rhizosphere bacterial community. (orig.)

Validation and Diagnostic Efficiency of the Mini-SPIN in Spanish-Speaking Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Lopez, LuisJoaquín; Moore, Harry T. A.

2015-01-01

Objectives Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence. Many validated psychometric tools are available to diagnose individuals with SAD efficaciously. However, there is a demand for shortened self-report instruments that identify adolescents at risk of developing SAD. We validate the Mini-SPIN and its diagnostic efficiency in overcoming this problem in Spanish-speaking adolescents in Spain. Methods The psychometric properties of the 3-item Mini-SPIN scale for adolescents were assessed in a community (study 1) and clinical sample (study 2). Results Study 1 consisted of 573 adolescents, and found the Mini-SPIN to have appropriate internal consistency and high construct validity. Study 2 consisted of 354 adolescents (147 participants diagnosed with SAD and 207 healthy controls). Data revealed that the Mini-SPIN has good internal consistency, high construct validity and adequate diagnostic efficiency. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the Mini-SPIN has good psychometric properties on clinical and healthy control adolescents and general population, which indicates that it can be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents. Cut-off scores are provided. PMID:26317695

Biodegradable poly(lactic acid)

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The fabrication of biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) microspheres containing total alkaloids of Caulis sinomenii was investigated. The formation, diameter, morphology and properties of the microspheres were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), laser particle size analyser and scanning ...

Mini-implants: alternative for oral rehabilitation of a child with ectodermal dysplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mello, Bianca Zeponi Fernandes; Silva, Thiago Cruvinel; Rios, Daniela; Machado, Maria Aparecida Andrade Moreira; Valarelli, Fabrício Pinelli; Oliveira, Thais Marchini

2015-01-01

Ectodermal dysplasia is a rare congenital disease that affects several structures of ectodermal origin. The most commonly related oral characteristics are hypodontia, malformed teeth and underdeveloped alveolar ridges. New alternative treatments are needed due to the failure of the conventional prosthesis retention. This case report outlines the oral rehabilitation treatment of a 9-year-old girl with ectodermal dysplasia. The treatment was performed with conventional prosthesis upon mini-implants. The mini-implants provided prosthetic retention. The patient reported a good adaptation of the dental prosthesis and satisfaction with the treatment. The increased self-esteem improved the socialization skills of the girl. In this case report, use of prosthesis with mini-implants was satisfactory for prosthetic retention. However, clinical studies with long-term follow-up are needed to test the mini-implants as an alternative for oral rehabilitation of children with ectodermal dysplasia.

Modern mass spectrometry in the characterization and degradation of biodegradable polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzarelli, Paola; Carroccio, Sabrina

2014-01-15

In the last decades, the solid-waste management related to the extensively growing production of plastic materials, in concert with their durability, have stimulated increasing interest in biodegradable polymers. At present, a variety of biodegradable polymers has already been introduced onto the market and can now be competitive with non biodegradable thermoplastics in different fields (packaging, biomedical, textile, etc.). However, a significant economical effort is still directed in tailoring structural properties in order to further broaden the range of applications without impairing biodegradation. Improving the performance of biodegradable materials requires a good characterization of both physico-chemical and mechanical parameters. Polymer analysis can involve many different features including detailed characterization of chemical structures and compositions as well as average molecular mass determination. It is of outstanding importance in troubleshooting of a polymer manufacturing process and for quality control, especially in biomedical applications. This review describes recent trends in the structural characterization of biodegradable materials by modern mass spectrometry (MS). It provides an overview of the analytical tools used to evaluate their degradation. Several successful applications of MALDI-TOF MS (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight) and ESI MS (electrospray mass spectrometry) for the determination of the structural architecture of biodegradable macromolecules, including their topology, composition, chemical structure of the end groups have been reported. However, MS methodologies have been recently applied to evaluate the biodegradation of polymeric materials. ESI MS represents the most useful technique for characterizing water-soluble polymers possessing different end group structures, with the advantage of being easily interfaced with solution-based separation techniques such as high-performance liquid

MiniGRAIL progress report 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waard, A de; Benzaim, Y; Frossati, G; Gottardi, L; Mark, H van der; Flokstra, J; Podt, M; Bassan, M; Minenkov, Y; Moleti, A; Rocchi, A; Fafone, V; Pallottino, G V

2005-01-01

The MiniGRAIL detector was improved. The sphere was replaced by a slightly larger one, having a diameter of 68 cm (instead of 65 cm), reducing the resonant frequency by about 200 Hz to around 2.9 kHz. The last four masses of the attenuation system were machined to increase their resonant frequency and improve the attenuation around the resonant frequency of the sphere. In the new sphere, six holes were machined on the TIGA positions for easy mounting of the transducers. During the last cryogenic run, two capacitive transducers and a calibrator were mounted on the sphere. The first transducer was coupled to a double-stage SQUID amplifier having a commercial quantum design SQUID as a first stage and a DROS as a second stage. The second transducer was read by a single-stage quantum design SQUID. During the cryogenic run, the sphere was cooled down to 4 K. The two-stage SQUID had a flux noise of about 1.6 μφ 0 Hz -1/2 . The detector was calibrated and the sensitivity curve of MiniGRAIL was determined

Biodegradable hollow fibres for the controlled release of drugs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schakenraad, J.M.; Oosterbaan, J.A.; Nieuwenhuis, P.; Molenaar, I.; Olijslager, J.; Potman, W.; Eenink, M.J.D.; Feijen, Jan

1988-01-01

Biodegradable hollow fibres of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) filled with a suspension of the contraceptive hormone levonorgestrel in castor oil were implanted subcutaneously in rats to study the rate of drug release, rate of biodegradation and tissue reaction caused by the implant. The in vivo drug

The Lagrangian structure of ozone mini-holes and potential vorticity anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. M. James

2002-06-01

Full Text Available An ozone mini-hole is a synoptic-scale area of strongly reduced column total ozone, which undergoes a growth-decay cycle in association with baroclinic weather systems. The tracks of mini-hole events recorded during the TOMS observation period over the Northern Hemisphere provide a database for building anomaly fields of various meteorological parameters, following each mini-hole center in a Lagrangian sense. The resulting fields provide, for the first time, a complete mean Lagrangian picture of the three-dimensional structure of typical ozone mini-holes in the Northern Hemisphere. Mini-holes are shown to be associated with anomalous warm anticyclonic flow in the upper troposphere and cold cyclonic anomalies in the middle stratosphere. Ascending air columns occur upstream and descent downstream of the mini-hole centers. Band-pass filtering is used to reveal the transient synoptic nature of mini-holes embedded within larger scale circulation anomalies. Significant correlations between ozone and Ertel’s potential vorticity on isentropes (IPV both near the tropopause and in the middle stratosphere are shown and then utilized by reconstructing the Lagrangian analysis to follow local IPV anomalies instead of ozone minima. By using IPV as a proxy for ozone, the geopotential anomaly dipolar structure in the vertical characteristic of mini-holes is shown to result from a superposition of two largely independent dynamical components, stratospheric and tropospheric, typically operating on different time scales. Hence, ozone mini-holes may be viewed primarily as phenomena of coincidence.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics; synoptic-scale meteorology

The Lagrangian structure of ozone mini-holes and potential vorticity anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. M. James

Full Text Available An ozone mini-hole is a synoptic-scale area of strongly reduced column total ozone, which undergoes a growth-decay cycle in association with baroclinic weather systems. The tracks of mini-hole events recorded during the TOMS observation period over the Northern Hemisphere provide a database for building anomaly fields of various meteorological parameters, following each mini-hole center in a Lagrangian sense. The resulting fields provide, for the first time, a complete mean Lagrangian picture of the three-dimensional structure of typical ozone mini-holes in the Northern Hemisphere. Mini-holes are shown to be associated with anomalous warm anticyclonic flow in the upper troposphere and cold cyclonic anomalies in the middle stratosphere. Ascending air columns occur upstream and descent downstream of the mini-hole centers. Band-pass filtering is used to reveal the transient synoptic nature of mini-holes embedded within larger scale circulation anomalies. Significant correlations between ozone and Ertel’s potential vorticity on isentropes (IPV both near the tropopause and in the middle stratosphere are shown and then utilized by reconstructing the Lagrangian analysis to follow local IPV anomalies instead of ozone minima. By using IPV as a proxy for ozone, the geopotential anomaly dipolar structure in the vertical characteristic of mini-holes is shown to result from a superposition of two largely independent dynamical components, stratospheric and tropospheric, typically operating on different time scales. Hence, ozone mini-holes may be viewed primarily as phenomena of coincidence.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics; synoptic-scale meteorology

Investigation of Heat Transfer in Mini Channels using Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøgild, Morten Ryge; Poulsen, Jonas Lundsted; Rath, Emil Zacho

2012-01-01

In this paper an experimental investigation of the heat transfer in mini channels with a hydraulic diameter of 889 m is conducted. The method used is planar laser induceduorescence (PLIF), which uses the principle of laser excitation of rhodamine B in water. The goal of this study is to validate...... the applicability of PLIF to determine the convective heat transfer coecient in mini channels against conventional correlations of the convective heat transfer coecient. The applicability of the conventional theory in micro and mini channels has been discussed by several researchers, but to the authors knowledge...

Biodegradation of phenol-formaldehyde resins modified with commercial lignins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernard, M.; Nicolau, V. V. [Universidad Tecnologica Nacional (UTN), Cordoba (Argentina); Sponon, M.; Estenoz, D.A. [Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnologico para la Industria Quimica (INTEC/UNL/CONICET), Santa Fe (Argentina)

2014-07-01

Full text: In this work the biodegradation of partially-modified resols with 10% w/w of sodium lignosulfonate and 10 and 20 % w/w of Kraft lignin type is studied. The experimental work involved preliminary studies of biodegradation in Petri dish (clear zones), the degradation of resols by enzymatic attack of Pseudomonas aeruginosa under aerobic conditions for a period of 200 days and the characterization of the polymers before and after biodegradation by FT-IR and RMN spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The number of viable cells showed a significant increase during the process. However, the gravimetric analysis was not sufficient to check the biodegradation. The results indicated that endocellular enzymes could be involved. It was observed that the presence of low concentrations of toxic substances released during degradation of the material may have inhibitory effects. Resoles were synthesized in Centro S. A. San Francisco Cordoba, Argentina. (author)

Mini-tablets versus pellets as promising multiparticulate modified release delivery systems for highly soluble drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaber, Dina M; Nafee, Noha; Abdallah, Osama Y

2015-07-05

Whether mini-tablets (tablets, diameters ≤6mm) belong to single- or multiple-unit dosage forms is still questionable. Accordingly, Pharmacopoeial evaluation procedures for mini-tablets are lacking. In this study, the aforementioned points were discussed. Moreover, their potential for oral controlled delivery was assessed. The antidepressant venlafaxine hydrochloride (Vx), a highly soluble drug undergoing first pass effect, low bioavailability and short half-life was selected as a challenging payload. In an attempt to weigh up mini-tablets versus pellets as multiparticulate carriers, Vx-loaded mini-tablets were compared to formulated pellets of the same composition and the innovator Effexor(®)XR pellets. Formulations were prepared using various polymer hydrogels in the core and ethyl cellulose film coating with increasing thickness. Mini-tablets (diameter 2mm) showed extended Vx release (<60%, 8h). Indeed, release profiles comparable to Effexor(®)XR pellets were obtained. Remarkably higher coating thickness was required for pellets to provide equivalent retardation. Ethyl cellulose in the core ensured faster release due to polymer migration to the surface and pore formation in the coat. mini-tablets showed higher stability to pellets upon storage. Industrially speaking, mini-tablets proved to be superior to pellets in terms of manufacturing, product quality and economical aspects. Results point out the urgent need for standardized evaluation procedures for mini-tablets. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Adaptation of Mini-Cog Test in Iranian Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei, Mohammad; Rashedi, Vahid; Lotfi, Gohar; Shirinbayan, Peymaneh; Foroughan, Mahshid

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Mini-Cog in Iranian older adults. It was a cross-sectional study; 50 older people with dementia and 50 without dementia who matched for age, gender, and education entered the study. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders criteria for dementia were used as gold standard. A battery of scales included the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Mini-Cog was performed. Validity and reliability of the Mini-Cog determined using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson's r), Cronbach's alpha, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The Persian version of Mini-Cog showed a good inter-rater reliability ( K = 0.76, p Mini-Cog have an acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and substantial overall agreement with the AMTS.

Biodegradable Piezoelectric Force Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Eli J; Ke, Kai; Chorsi, Meysam T; Wrobel, Kinga S; Miller, Albert N; Patel, Avi; Kim, Insoo; Feng, Jianlin; Yue, Lixia; Wu, Qian; Kuo, Chia-Ling; Lo, Kevin W-H; Laurencin, Cato T; Ilies, Horea; Purohit, Prashant K; Nguyen, Thanh D

2018-01-30

Measuring vital physiological pressures is important for monitoring health status, preventing the buildup of dangerous internal forces in impaired organs, and enabling novel approaches of using mechanical stimulation for tissue regeneration. Pressure sensors are often required to be implanted and directly integrated with native soft biological systems. Therefore, the devices should be flexible and at the same time biodegradable to avoid invasive removal surgery that can damage directly interfaced tissues. Despite recent achievements in degradable electronic devices, there is still a tremendous need to develop a force sensor which only relies on safe medical materials and requires no complex fabrication process to provide accurate information on important biophysiological forces. Here, we present a strategy for material processing, electromechanical analysis, device fabrication, and assessment of a piezoelectric Poly-l-lactide (PLLA) polymer to create a biodegradable, biocompatible piezoelectric force sensor, which only employs medical materials used commonly in Food and Drug Administration-approved implants, for the monitoring of biological forces. We show the sensor can precisely measure pressures in a wide range of 0-18 kPa and sustain a reliable performance for a period of 4 d in an aqueous environment. We also demonstrate this PLLA piezoelectric sensor can be implanted inside the abdominal cavity of a mouse to monitor the pressure of diaphragmatic contraction. This piezoelectric sensor offers an appealing alternative to present biodegradable electronic devices for the monitoring of intraorgan pressures. The sensor can be integrated with tissues and organs, forming self-sensing bionic systems to enable many exciting applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and medical devices.

The MiniBIOS model (version 1A4) at the RIVM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uijt de Haag PAM; Laheij GMH

1993-01-01

This report is the user's guide of the MiniBIOS model, version 1A4. The model is operational at the Laboratory of Radiation Research of the RIVM. MiniBIOS is a simulation model for calculating the transport of radionuclides in the biosphere and the consequential radiation dose to humans. The

Role of mini-scleral lens in mucous membrane pemphigoid

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Mukesh Kumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to report the use of mini-scleral contact lens in the management of mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP with persistent epithelial defects. A 68-year-old male with a history of ocular pain and declining visual acuity was referred to our clinic with a diagnosis of MMP. His corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA was 20/200 in the right eye and 20/100 in the left eye. Despite being on lubricants, topical steroids and intravenous cyclophosphamide, the patient developed persistent corneal epithelial defects in both eyes. He was then given a trial of mini-scleral lenses. Within 4 weeks, corneal epithelial defects healed, and at 6 months, the CDVA had improved to 20/50 in the right eye and 20/40 in the left eye. By improving the corneal surface integrity and visual function, mini-scleral lenses can play a role in the visual rehabilitation of patients with MMP.

Enhanced aerobic biodegradation of some toxic hydrocarbon pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elshahawy, M.R.M.

2007-01-01

samples were collected from the same location in Suez Gulf during the period from June, 2004 to April 2006 then microbiologically and chemically analyzed . the TPH levels ranged from 55 to 86 ppm and exceeded the known permissible limits referring to a settled situation of chronic hydrocarbon pollution in the studied area. on the other hand the biodegrading bacterial counts cfu clearly reflected the great adaptation of endogenous bacteria to use hydrocarbons as a sole source of carbon . the ratio of biodegrading bacteria to heterotrophic ones ranged between 26 and 50% over the period of collection. the biodegradation potentials of suez gulf consortia were studied at different concentrations of phenanthrene as a sole carbon source. it was found that the degradation kinetics of phenanthrene either due to biotic or abiotic factors is affected with the initial concentration of PAHs. twenty PAHs degraders were isolated from Suez Gulf consortia after different adaptation periods on phenanthrene.ten isolates were selected to be promising due to their ability to tolerate high base oil concentrations, grow at wide range of temperatures and their short incubation period on MSO. the biodegradation kinetics of 200 ppm phenanthrene by the selected isolates was monitored by HPLC

Biodegradation of Crystal Violet by Agrobacterium radiobacter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parshetti, G.K.; Parshetti, S.G.; Telke, A.A.

2011-01-01

Violet (100 mg/L) was studied, maximum decolorization was observed with 15% inoculum concentration. A significant increase in the activities of laccase (184%) and aminopyrine Af-demethylase (300%) in cells obtained after decolorization indicated the involvement of these enzymes in decolorization process...... and phenol. We proposed the hypothetical metabolic pathway of Crystal Violet biodegradation by A. radiobacter. Phytotoxicity and microbial toxicity study showed that Crystal Violet biodegradation metabolites were less toxic to bacteria (A. radiobacter, P. aurugenosa and A. vinelandii) contributing to soil...

Caracterização de mini-implantes utilizados na ancoragem ortodôntica Characterization of the mini-implants used to orthodontic anchorage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Rougemont Squeff

2008-10-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: o diâmetro reduzido do mini-implante, e a decorrente facilidade na sua inserção, minimizam a possibilidade de erro do operador e de contato entre a rosca do mini-implante e a raiz dentária. Entretanto, o risco de fratura da peça aumenta à medida que seu diâmetro é diminuído. MÉTODOS: neste trabalho foram analisados quatro produtos de marcas nacionais (INP, SIN, Conexão e Neodente e um de marca alemã (Mondeal, com o objetivo de identificar características importantes para o bom desempenho deste recurso como acessório de ancoragem. Foram observados composição e design das peças e realizado o ensaio mecânico de torque até a fratura (estudo in vitro, cujos valores foram submetidos à análise de variância (ANOVA e teste de Tukey. RESULTADOS: os resultados mostraram que todos os mini-implantes testados estão aptos à utilização clínica como reforço de ancoragem ortodôntica.INTRODUCTION: The reduced diameter of the mini-implants and the simplicity of the technique could minimize the operator mistake's possibility and avoid the contact between the thread of the screw and the dental root. In spite of that, it increases the fracture risk because of the diameter's decrease. METHODS: At the present work, mini-implants from five different trade marks, four Brazilian systems (INP, SIN, Conexão and Neodente and a German system (Mondeal were studied to identify important characteristics of this anchorage accessory, like composition, design and resistance to the insertion torque (in vitro. The values obtained from the mechanical torque test were submitted to variance analysis (ANOVA and Tukey's test. RESULTS: All studied groups presented good results and are recommended to orthodontic clinic use.

Post irradiation examination of HANARO nucler mini-element fuel (metallographic and density test)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Byung Ok; Hong, K. P.; Park, D. G.; Choo, Y. S.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, K. H.; Kim, H. C.; Jung, Y. H.

2001-05-01

The post irradiation examination of a HANARO mini-element nuclear fuel, KH96C-004, was done in June 6, 2000. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the in-core performance and reliability of mini-element nuclear fuel for HANARO developed by the project T he Nuclear Fuel Material Development of Research Reactor . And, in order to examine the performance of mini-element nuclear fuel in normal output condition, the post irradiation examination of a nuclear fuel bundle composed by 6 mini nuclear fuel rods and 12 dummy fuel rods was performed. Based on these examination results, the safety and reliability of HANARO fuel and the basic data on the design of HANARO nuclear fuel can be ensured and obtained,

Primary fixation of mini slings: a comparative biomechanical study in vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Palma

2012-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The mini sling concept for stress urinary incontinence is an anatomical approach that involves placing a midurethral low-tension tape anchored to the obturator internus muscles bilaterally. They overcome the blind passage of long needles and all the related complications. There are many different devices available and because these are outpatient procedures, primary fixation plays an important role in the outcome. The objective is to evaluate the primary fixation of the various devices of attachment of the commercially available mini-slings through biomechanical tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 45 Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups of 15 rats each. They underwent 5 subcutaneous implantation of different mini slings and one polipropilene mesh (control, as follows: TVT-Secur® (Gynecare, USA, Type 1 polypropylene mesh (control; Ophira Mini Sling System® (Promedon, Argentina, Tissue Fixation System® (TFS PTY, Australia, Zipper Sling® and "T device" (Prosurg, USA. The abdominal wall was removed on bloc at different times after implant for biomechanical evaluation, which consisted in application of unidirectional force to the extremity of the fixation system or mesh, until it was completely removed from the tissue using a tension meter (Nexygen 3.0 Universal Testing Machine - LLOYD Instruments. The force was measured in Newtons (N. RESULTS: There was significant difference in the resistance to extraction among the different fixation systems. At 7 days the Ophira Mini Sling System® presented the best fixation and "T dispositive" the worst. CONCLUSION: Ophira mini sling System® presented the best primary fixation at 7º, 14º and 30º days. The impact of this feature in the clinical setting needs to be verified.

Validity of a short clinical interview for psychiatric diagnosis : the mini-SCAN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nienhuis, F. J.; van de Willige, G.; Rijnders, C. A. Th.; de Jonge, P.; Wiersma, D.

Background To promote clinical application of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) system a shorter version (the mini-SCAN) was devised. Its psychometric properties were unknown. Aims To establish the validity and practical properties of the mini-SCAN. Method One hundred

Biodegradability enhancement of textile wastewater by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tak-Hyun; Lee, Jae-Kwang; Lee, Myun-Joo

2007-01-01

Textile wastewater generally contains various pollutants, which can cause problems during biological treatment. Electron beam radiation technology was applied to enhance the biodegradability of textile wastewater for an activated sludge process. The biodegradability (BOD 5 /COD) increased at a 1.0 kGy dose. The biorefractory organic compounds were converted into more easily biodegradable compounds such as organic acids having lower molecular weights. In spite of the short hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the activated sludge process, not only high organic removal efficiencies, but also high microbial activities were achieved. In conclusion, textile wastewater was effectively treated by the combined process of electron beam radiation and an activated sludge process

Parallel pathways of ethoxylated alcohol biodegradation under aerobic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zembrzuska, Joanna; Budnik, Irena; Lukaszewski, Zenon

2016-01-01

Non-ionic surfactants (NS) are a major component of the surfactant flux discharged into surface water, and alcohol ethoxylates (AE) are the major component of this flux. Therefore, biodegradation pathways of AE deserve more thorough investigation. The aim of this work was to investigate the stages of biodegradation of homogeneous oxyethylated dodecanol C_1_2E_9 having 9 oxyethylene subunits, under aerobic conditions. Enterobacter strain Z3 bacteria were chosen as biodegrading organisms under conditions with C_1_2E_9 as the sole source of organic carbon. Bacterial consortia of river water were used in a parallel test as an inoculum for comparison. The LC-MS technique was used to identify the products of biodegradation. Liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate was selected for the isolation of C_1_2E_9 and metabolites from the biodegradation broth. The LC-MS/MS technique operating in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was used for quantitative determination of C_1_2E_9, C_1_2E_8, C_1_2E_7 and C_1_2E_6. Apart from the substrate, the homologues C_1_2E_8, C_1_2E_7 and C_1_2E_6, being metabolites of C_1_2E_9 biodegradation by shortening of the oxyethylene chain, as well as intermediate metabolites having a carboxyl end group in the oxyethylene chain (C_1_2E_8COOH, C_1_2E_7COOH, C_1_2E_6COOH and C_1_2E_5COOH), were identified. Poly(ethylene glycols) (E) having 9, 8 and 7 oxyethylene subunits were also identified, indicating parallel central fission of C_1_2E_9 and its metabolites. Similar results were obtained with river water as inoculum. It is concluded that AE, under aerobic conditions, are biodegraded via two parallel pathways: by central fission with the formation of PEG, and by Ω-oxidation of the oxyethylene chain with the formation of carboxylated AE and subsequent shortening of the oxyethylene chain by a single unit. - Highlights: • Two parallel biodegradation pathways of alcohol ethoxylates have been discovered. • Apart from central fission

Replacing the AMOR with the miniDOAS in the ammonia monitoring network in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkhout, Augustinus J. C.; Swart, Daan P. J.; Volten, Hester; Gast, Lou F. L.; Haaima, Marty; Verboom, Hans; Stefess, Guus; Hafkenscheid, Theo; Hoogerbrugge, Ronald

2017-01-01

In this paper we present the continued development of the miniDOAS, an active differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instrument used to measure ammonia concentrations in ambient air. The miniDOAS has been adapted for use in the Dutch National Air Quality Monitoring Network. The miniDOAS

Biodegradation of plastics in soil and effects on nitrification activity. A laboratory approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giulia eBettas Ardisson

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The progressive application of new biodegradable plastics in agriculture calls for improved testing approaches to assure their environmental safety. Full biodegradation (≥ 90% prevents accumulation in soil, which is the first tier of testing. The application of specific ecotoxicity tests is the second tier of testing needed to show safety for the soil ecosystem. Soil microbial nitrification is widely used as a bioindicator for evaluating the impact of chemicals on soil but it is not applied for evaluating the impact of biodegradable plastics. In this work the International Standard test for biodegradation of plastics in soil (ISO 17556, 2012 was applied both to measure biodegradation and to prepare soil samples needed for a subsequent nitrification test based on another International Standard (ISO 14238, 2012. The plastic mulch film tested in this work showed full biodegradability and no inhibition of the nitrification potential of the soil in comparison with the controls. The laboratory approach suggested in this Technology Report enables (i to follow the course of biodegradation, (ii a strict control of variables and environmental conditions, (iii the application of very high concentrations of test material (to maximize the possible effects. This testing approach could be taken into consideration in improved testing schemes aimed at defining the biodegradability of plastics in soil.

Biodegradation of plastics in soil and effects on nitrification activity. A laboratory approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bettas Ardisson, Giulia; Tosin, Maurizio; Barbale, Marco; Degli-Innocenti, Francesco

2014-01-01

The progressive application of new biodegradable plastics in agriculture calls for improved testing approaches to assure their environmental safety. Full biodegradation (≥90%) prevents accumulation in soil, which is the first tier of testing. The application of specific ecotoxicity tests is the second tier of testing needed to show safety for the soil ecosystem. Soil microbial nitrification is widely used as a bioindicator for evaluating the impact of chemicals on soil but it is not applied for evaluating the impact of biodegradable plastics. In this work the International Standard test for biodegradation of plastics in soil (ISO 17556, 2012) was applied both to measure biodegradation and to prepare soil samples needed for a subsequent nitrification test based on another International Standard (ISO 14238, 2012). The plastic mulch film tested in this work showed full biodegradability and no inhibition of the nitrification potential of the soil in comparison with the controls. The laboratory approach suggested in this Technology Report enables (i) to follow the course of biodegradation, (ii) a strict control of variables and environmental conditions, (iii) the application of very high concentrations of test material (to maximize the possible effects). This testing approach could be taken into consideration in improved testing schemes aimed at defining the biodegradability of plastics in soil.

Titanate nanotube coatings on biodegradable photopolymer scaffolds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beke, S., E-mail: szabolcs.beke@iit.it [Department of Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova (Italy); Kőrösi, L. [Department of Biotechnology, Nanophage Therapy Center, Enviroinvest Corporation, Kertváros u. 2, H-7632, Pécs (Hungary); Scarpellini, A. [Department of Nanochemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova (Italy); Anjum, F.; Brandi, F. [Department of Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova (Italy)

2013-05-01

Rigid, biodegradable photopolymer scaffolds were coated with titanate nanotubes (TNTs) by using a spin-coating method. TNTs were synthesized by a hydrothermal process at 150 °C under 4.7 bar ambient pressure. The biodegradable photopolymer scaffolds were produced by mask-assisted excimer laser photocuring at 308 nm. For scaffold coating, a stable ethanolic TNT sol was prepared by a simple colloid chemical route without the use of any binding compounds or additives. Scanning electron microscopy along with elemental analysis revealed that the scaffolds were homogenously coated by TNTs. The developed TNT coating can further improve the surface geometry of fabricated scaffolds, and therefore it can further increase the cell adhesion. Highlights: ► Biodegradable scaffolds were produced by mask-assisted UV laser photocuring. ► Titanate nanotube deposition was carried out without binding compounds or additives. ► The titanate nanotube coating can further improve the surface geometry of scaffolds. ► These reproducible platforms will be of high importance for biological applications.

Extracellular matrix production by human osteoblasts cultured on biodegradable polymers applicable for tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Amin, S F; Lu, H H; Khan, Y; Burems, J; Mitchell, J; Tuan, R S; Laurencin, C T

2003-03-01

The nature of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial in regulating cell functions via cell-matrix interactions, cytoskeletal organization, and integrin-mediated signaling. In bone, the ECM is composed of proteins such as collagen (CO), fibronectin (FN), laminin (LM), vitronectin (VN), osteopontin (OP) and osteonectin (ON). For bone tissue engineering, the ECM should also be considered in terms of its function in mediating cell adhesion to biomaterials. This study examined ECM production, cytoskeletal organization, and adhesion of primary human osteoblastic cells on biodegradable matrices applicable for tissue engineering, namely polylactic-co-glycolic acid 50:50 (PLAGA) and polylactic acid (PLA). We hypothesized that the osteocompatible, biodegradable polymer surfaces promote the production of bone-specific ECM proteins in a manner dependent on polymer composition. We first examined whether the PLAGA and PLA matrices could support human osteoblastic cell growth by measuring cell adhesion at 3, 6 and 12h post-plating. Adhesion on PLAGA was consistently higher than on PLA throughout the duration of the experiment, and comparable to tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). ECM components, including CO, FN, LM, ON, OP and VN, produced on the surface of the polymers were quantified by ELISA and localized by immunofluorescence staining. All of these proteins were present at significantly higher levels on PLAGA compared to PLA or TCPS surfaces. On PLAGA, OP and ON were the most abundant ECM components, followed by CO, FN, VN and LN. Immunofluorescence revealed an extracellular distribution for CO and FN, whereas OP and ON were found both intracellularly as well as extracellularly on the polymer. In addition, the actin cytoskeletal network was more extensive in osteoblasts cultured on PLAGA than on PLA or TCPS. In summary, we found that osteoblasts plated on PLAGA adhered better to the substrate, produced higher levels of ECM molecules, and showed greater cytoskeletal

A mini-sampler for welding aerosol mounted in close vicinity of the mouth/nose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liden, Goeran; Surakka, Jouni

2009-01-01

A small personal aerosol mini-sampler to be used inside modern welding visors has been developed. The main object of the mini-sampler has been to sample manganese. The sampler is based on commercially available 13 mm filter holders but modified to incorporate an inlet nozzle made of aluminium. The nominal flow rate of the mini-sampler is 0,75 l/min. The sampler is to be worn mounted on a headset, modified from professional microphone headsets. The headset mounting arrangement was accepted by the welders. The sampling bias of the mini sampler versus the IOM sampler depends on the coarseness of the sampled aerosol. At the lowest concentration ratio of the open-face 25 mm filter holder to the IOM sampler equal to 0,65, the bias of the mini sampler is approximately -26% versus the IOM. The RMS sampling bias of the mini sampler versus the IOM sampler for manganese is -4,6%. The inhalable fraction of welding aerosol mass consists only of 25-55% of welding fume. The rest of the mass is made up of spatter particles and grinding particles. For manganese generally more than 65% is found in the fume.

Spatial uncoupling of biodegradation, soil respiration, and PAH concentration in a creosote contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bengtsson, Goeran; Toerneman, Niklas; Yang Xiuhong

2010-01-01

Hotspots and coldspots of concentration and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) marginally overlapped at the 0.5-100 m scale in a creosote contaminated soil in southern Sweden, suggesting that concentration and biodegradation had little spatial co-variation. Biodegradation was substantial and its spatial variability considerable and highly irregular, but it had no spatial autocorrelation. The soil concentration of PAHs explained only 20-30% of the variance of their biodegradation. Soil respiration was spatially autocorrelated. The spatial uncoupling between biodegradation and soil respiration seemed to be governed by the aging of PAHs in the soil, since biodegradation of added 13 C phenanthrene covaried with both soil respiration and microbial biomass. The latter two were also correlated with high concentrations of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) that are common in gram-negative bacteria. However, several of the hotspots of biodegradation coincided with hotspots for the distribution of a PLFA indicative of fungal biomass. - Hotspots of PAH biodegradation in a creosote contaminated soil do not coincide with hotspots of PAH concentration, microbial biomass and respiration.

Preparation and Evaluation of Hot-Melt Extruded Patient-Centric Ketoprofen Mini-Tablets.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshetaili, Abdullah S; Almutairy, Bjad K; Tiwari, Roshan V; Morott, Joseph T; Alshehri, Sultan M; Feng, Xin; Alsulays, Bader B; Park, Jun-Bom; Zhang, Feng; Repka, Michael A

2016-01-01

Bitter tasting drugs represent a large portion of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Mini-tablets are specifically designed for patients with difficulty in swallowing particular in young children up to 10 years of age, geriatric patients and patients with esophagitis. The present study was aimed to prepare, taste-masked mini-tablets, which are easily swallowed dosage forms, primarily to be used by pediatric and geriatric patients. Ketoprofen (10%-50% w/w) and Eudragit® EPO were blended and extruded with a 5-mm strand die and cut into consistent mini-tablets by using an adapted downstream pelletizer. Differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscopy-hot stage microscopy studies confirmed that the binary mixtures were miscible under the employed extrusion temperatures. In-vitro release studies showed that drug release was less than 0.5% within the first 2 min in simulated salivary fluid (pH 6.8) and more than 90% in the first 20 min in gastric media (pH 1.0). The results of the electronic tongue analysis were well correlated with the drug release profile of the mini-tablets in the artificial saliva. Scanning electron microscopy revealed no cracks on the surface of the minitablets, confirming that the mini-tablets were compact solids. Chemical imaging confirmed the uniform distribution of ketoprofen inside the polymer matrices. Eudragit® EPO containing ketoprofen at various drug loads were successfully melt extruded into tastedmasked mini-tablets. The reduced drug release at salivary pH correlated well with Astree e-Tongue studies for taste masking efficiency.

Importance of the test volume on the lag phase in biodegradation studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingerslev, F.; Torang, Lars; Nyholm, Niels

2000-01-01

, degradation failed randomly. Our findings are partly explained by the hypotheses that a sufficient total amount as well as a sufficient concentration of specifically degrading microorganisms or consortia of bacteria must be present initially for biodegradation to get started, from which follows that with too......Increasing the total volume of test medium resulted in decreased lag times (TL) in biodegradability shake flask batch tests conducted with either surface water or with synthetic mineral medium inoculated with supernatant from settled activated sludge. Experiments were performed with test volumes...... small inoculations or with too small test volumes, biodegradation may fail randomly. A straightforward practical implication of the findings is that the test volume in biodegradability tests can significantly influence the lag time and thus sometimes be decisive for the outcome in biodegradation studies....

Biodegradation of ion-exchange media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowerman, B.S.; Clinton, J.H.; Cowdery, S.R.

1988-08-01

Ion-exchange media, both bead resins and powdered filter media, are used in nuclear power plants to remove radioactivity from process water prior to reuse or environmental discharge. Since the ion- exchange media are made from synthetic hydrocarbon-based polymers, they may be susceptible to damage from biological activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate some of the more basic aspects of biodegradation of ion-exchange media, specifically to evaluate the ability of microorganisms to utilize the ion-exchange media or materials sorbed on them as a food source. The ASTM-G22 test, alone and combined with the Bartha Pramer respirometric method, failed to indicate the biodegradability of the ion-exchange media. The limitation of these methods was that they used a single test organism. In later phases of this study, a mixed microbial culture was grown from resin waste samples obtained from the BNL High Flux Beam Reactor. These microorganisms were used to evaluate the susceptibility of different types of ion-exchange media to biological attack. Qualitative assessments of biodegradability were based on visual observations of culture growths. Greater susceptibility was associated with increased turbidity in solution indicative of bacterial growth, and more luxuriant fungal mycelial growth in solution or directly on the ion-exchange resin beads. 21 refs., 9 figs., 18 tabs

Flexible biodegradable citrate-based polymeric step-index optical fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Dingying; Zhang, Chenji; Kalaba, Surge; Mehta, Nikhil; Kim, Gloria B; Liu, Zhiwen; Yang, Jian

2017-10-01

Implanting fiber optical waveguides into tissue or organs for light delivery and collection is among the most effective ways to overcome the issue of tissue turbidity, a long-standing obstacle for biomedical optical technologies. Here, we report a citrate-based material platform with engineerable opto-mechano-biological properties and demonstrate a new type of biodegradable, biocompatible, and low-loss step-index optical fiber for organ-scale light delivery and collection. By leveraging the rich designability and processibility of citrate-based biodegradable polymers, two exemplary biodegradable elastomers with a fine refractive index difference and yet matched mechanical properties and biodegradation profiles were developed. Furthermore, we developed a two-step fabrication method to fabricate flexible and low-loss (0.4 db/cm) optical fibers, and performed systematic characterizations to study optical, spectroscopic, mechanical, and biodegradable properties. In addition, we demonstrated the proof of concept of image transmission through the citrate-based polymeric optical fibers and conducted in vivo deep tissue light delivery and fluorescence sensing in a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat, laying the groundwork for realizing future implantable devices for long-term implantation where deep-tissue light delivery, sensing and imaging are desired, such as cell, tissue, and scaffold imaging in regenerative medicine and in vivo optogenetic stimulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pengaruh Penambahan Kitosan dalam Pembuatan Biodegradable Foam Berbahan Baku Pati

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanik Hendrawati

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable foam is an alternative packaging to replace the expanded polystyrene foam packaging currently in use.   Starch has been used to produce foam because of  its low cost, low density, low toxicity, and  biodegradability. Chitosan has been added to improve mechanical properties of product . The   effect of  variation on chitosan amount  and  starch types  was investigated in this study.  The amount of  chitosan  was varied as 0; 5; 10; 15; 20; 25; and  30 % w/w and starch types were used in this research were cassava, Corn and sago starch. Biodegradable  foam was produced by using baking process method, all of material (Starch, Chitosan solution,  Magnesium Stearate, Carrageenan, Glyserol, Protein Isolates  dan polyvinil alcohol (PVOH  were mixed with kitchen aid mixer. The mixture was poured  into mold and heated in an oven at 125 oC for 1 hour. Then, foam was tested for its mechanical properties, water absorption  and biodegradability and  morphology (SEM.  The results show that  foam made from sago starch had lower water absortion than those made from cassava and corn starch.   While, foam made from cassava starch  was more biodegradable than the other foam.  Biodegradable foam based sago starch and 30 % w/w of Chitosan adition  gave the  best performence in tensile stress that  is 20 Mpa

Reactive electrospinning and biodegradation of cross-linked methacrylated polycarbonate nanofibers